Republicans gather for the second day of the Republican National Committee, and President Joe Biden answers with a campaign stop in Nevada.
Here's who's speaking at the RNC tonight, according to sources
The first night of the RNC was capped off with a surprise appearance from former President Donald Trump and his new running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.
Here's who's speaking at night two of the RNC, according to a source familiar with the schedule.
All times in Central Time Zone and subject to change.
5-5:30 p.m.
- Chairwoman Anne Hathaway, Committee on Arrangements
- Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee
5:30-6 p.m.
- Julie Harris, President of National Federation of Republican Women
- Hayden Padget, Young Republicans Chairman
- Matt Brooks, CEO of Republican Jewish Coalition
- Reince Priebus, Chairman of Host Committee
- James Crawford, Chair of the Potawatomi Nation
6-6:30 p.m.
- Perry Johnson, businessman who launched a longshot 2024 presidential bid
- Kari Lake, failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate running for U.S. Senate
- Eric Hovde, businessman running for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin
- Bernie Moreno, businessman running for U.S. Senate in Ohio
- Former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., running for U.S. Senate
- Dave McCormick, candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania
6:30-7 p.m.
- Indiana Rep. Jim Banks, running for U.S. Senate
- West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a former Democrat-turned-Republican running for U.S. Senate
- Sam Brown, candidate for U.S. Senate in Nevada
- Tim Sheehy, candidate for U.S. Senate in Montana
- Hung Cao, candidate for U.S. Senate in Virginia
- Florida Sen. Rick Scott
7-7:30 p.m.
- New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who left the Democratic party and joined the GOP after Trump's first impeachment trial
- New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, House Republican Conference Chair
- Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, House Majority Whip
- Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, House Majority Leader
- House Speaker Mike Johnson
7:30-8 p.m.
- Vivek Ramaswamy, former 2024 presidential candidate
- Reality TV star Savannah Chrisley
- Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson
8-8:30 p.m.
- Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (TX)
- Randy Sutton, everyday American
- Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird
- Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Trump's most formidable primary challenger
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a 2024 GOP presidential hopeful
8:30-9 p.m.
- Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt
- Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton
- Michael Coyle, everyday American
- Erin Koper, everyday American
9-9:30 p.m.
- Anne Fundner, everyday American
- The Morin Family, everyday Americans
- Madeline Brame, everyday American
- Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who rose to fame as Trump's press secretary
- Dr. Ben Carson, former Housing & Urban Development Secretary
9:30-10 p.m.
- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., one of the finalists to be Trump's running mate
- Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump, Donald Trump's daughter-in-law
Trump and Vance to hold first rally as a ticket in Michigan on Saturday
Former President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance will hold their first rally as running mates in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Saturday. It will be held indoors at Van Andel Arena and will also be the first rally since Trump was shot at by a would-be assassin at an outdoor fairgrounds in Pennsylvania over the weekend.
Vance was officially approved as Trump’s vice presidential nominee on Monday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
“Joe Biden’s failed policies have left a path of death, and destruction in Michigan. President Trump will ease the financial pressures placed on households and re-establish law and order in Michigan!” the Trump campaign said in a statement. “We can Make America Great Again by tackling lawlessness head-on, ceasing the endless flow of illegal immigrants across our southern border, and reversing the detrimental effects (of) inflation by restoring the American people’s wealth.”
The Republican National Convention wraps up on Thursday.
In announcing Vance as his choice, Trump listed Michigan among the states he believed Vance will help him win in November. President Joe Biden beat Trump in the state by around 155,000 votes in 2020, and his campaign views it as a key to keeping the White House this time around.
Biden made a campaign stop in the state last week and Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to attend a campaign event in Kalamazoo, Mich., on Wednesday. Harris will appear with Olivia Troye, a former Trump administration national security official-turned-critic, and Amanda Stratton, a Michigan woman and “former Republican voter who has a personal reproductive health story,” according to the Biden campaign.
It will be Harris’ fourth trip to Michigan this year.
Biden campaign sets out to counter RNC with GOP ticket now solidified
President Joe Biden hit the battleground state of Nevada on Tuesday, the second day of the Republican National Convention, as his reelection campaign looked to counter the festivities in Milwaukee and sharpen its strategy against the now-solidified GOP presidential ticket.
Just a day after former President Donald Trump officially tapped Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his vice presidential running mate, the Democratic National Committee wasted no time on Tuesday launching 16 new billboards as well as a mobile billboard in Milwaukee, criticizing the pair for policies on abortion, taxes, health care and Social Security.
The ads all reference “Project 2025” — the right-wing policy platform curated by conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation, which the Biden camp has vigorously tried to tie to Trump, even as the former president has sought to distance himself from it. Biden's reelection team is now making the case that Vance only furthers the ticket’s link with the platform.
“If Trump were trying to distance himself from Project 2025, then he probably shouldn’t have chosen as his running mate the man who just days ago said that the extreme blueprint is full of ‘good ideas,’” DNC Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd said in a statement, referencing an interview with Newsmax last week in which Vance said there are some “good ideas” in the platform but went on to add “there are some things I disagree with.”
The DNC on Tuesday also looked to put more cash into battleground states, announcing it is directing another $15 million to state parties in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to open new field offices, better communicate with voters on the ground and support down-ballot Democratic candidates.
Meanwhile, the Biden team also said on Monday that it will send Vice President Kamala Harris out on the road following Vance’s elevation to the ticket.
Harris will travel this week to the critical swing state of Michigan on Wednesday, before stopping on Thursday in North Carolina, a state the Biden campaign has honed in on despite it backing the Republican ticket for the last three presidential election cycles.
For his part, Biden on Tuesday was set to focus on reaching Black voters in Las Vegas, where he delivered remarks at the 115th NAACP National Convention and joined an economic summit with Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., the chair of the influential Congressional Black Caucus.
Throughout the day, Biden — who spoke about advancing racial justice and equity during his speech — was joined by members of the CBC, a group that has been vital for the president after his debate performance last month sparked a wave of concern within his party about his ability to beat Trump and led to about 20 Democrats calling for Biden to step out of the race.