Local RNC delegates react to convention

Brian Haytcher, Star Beacon, Ashtabula, Ohio
·2 min read

Jul. 25—The Republican National Convention took place last week, and multiple Ashtabula County residents were delegates at the event.

State Sen. Sandy O'Brien said the convention was the experience of a lifetime.

"The atmosphere was electric, and I have never seen the Republican Party so united in its purpose to elect President Trump once again," she said.

She said there was a remarkable outpouring of support for Trump at the convention, which took place just days after an attempt on Trump's life at a rally in Pennsylvania.

"Especially, it was wonderful for the Ohio delegation, because we were thrilled with the choice of Sen. J.D. Vance to be chosen as Trump's vice presidential running mate," O'Brien said. "We were just so thrilled. Any time his name would be mentioned or anything, we started chanting 'J.D.' It was a lot of fun for the Ohio delegation, really."

She said at times she felt the other delegations were jealous of the Ohio delegation.

"It was wonderful, it really was," O'Brien said.

She said Milwaukee was very welcoming to delegates.

Ashtabula County Republican Party Chair Charlie Frye said the convention was busy.

"Overall, it was a great experience," he said. "The event itself, just, 15,000 people packed inside the place."

He said there was a lot of energy at the event.

Frye said Saybrook resident Melissa Pope was also a delegate-at-large at the convention.

Frye said he kind of expected Vance's selection as candidate for vice president.

"Ohio has a long list of presidents, but we've never had a VP before," he said. "So he would actually be Ohio's first vice president."

Both Frye and O'Brien commented on Vance's relative youth, at 39.

Frye said the battleground states are in the midwest, and paired with Vance's book "Hillbilly Elegy" make him an attractive VP candidate.

"At the end of the convention, everybody was pretty excited, and thought it was a good selection by President Trump," Frye said.

He described the event as a blur, and said Wednesday and Thursday felt more like a concert than a political event.

"The party has kind of changed, it's become more populous, and I think that's attributed to the vision that Trump has for the party, as more of a blue-collar, working class, the music and the celebrities and everything, it's just showing that we're a big-tent party," Frye said. "The party isn't your father or grandfather's Republican Party anymore."