RNC 2024 Day 2 updates: Trump rivals take center stage along with divine intervention

The second day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee ended Tuesday with appearances from some of former President Donald Trump's former rivals: former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy -- all calling for Republican Party unity.

They were joined by some of Trump's longest allies including Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Ben Carson in bashing the Democrats over what they claimed were harmful and failed policies.

The program focused on law and order with a theme of making the country "safe again."

Trump, with a bandage on his ear, made an appearance again Tuesday evening -- just days after he was wounded in an assassination attempt at one of his rallies in Pennsylvania over the weekend. Several speakers touched on that God spared Trump in the shooting, saving him for a divine plan for the presidency.

Latest Developments

Jul 16, 11:38 PM

Lara Trump addresses assassination attempt in final speech of the night

In the final speech of the night, RNC co-chair Lara Trump largely focused on the assassination attempt on her father-in-law.

"It may not be a surprise that I actually had a very different speech that I was prepared to give up here tonight," she began. "That all changed at 6:11 on Saturday evening. Nothing prepares you for a moment like that."

Lara Trump recounted how she grabbed the remote to shut off the television so her children wouldn't see the images of their grandfather.

She said the incident was a "jarring reminder that we, as Americans, must always remember there is more that unites us than divides us."

She thanked the former president for his "resilience," calling him a "lion," while calling on voters to cast their ballot for him.

"In that split second on Saturday, Donald Trump reminded us all of that very history and who we are at our core as a nation. That is the Donald Trump that I know," she said.

Jul 16, 11:23 PM

Full Trump family to attend RNC Thursday: Sources

The entire Trump family will be in attendance at the RNC on Thursday night, sources tell ABC News.

Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner will all join the former president as he gives his acceptance speech.

It will be the first time in this presidential cycle the Trump family will be together.

Sources say Melania and Ivanka will not be speaking but attending to show their support.

-ABC News' John Santucci

Jul 16, 11:17 PM

Crowd mimics Trump's raised fist: 'Fight, fight, fight'

As Lara Trump spoke about Donald Trump pumping his fist after being shot at his Pennsylvania rally over the weekend, the RNC crowd reacted by raising their own fists in the air.

"Fight, fight, fight," they shouted.

Jul 16, 11:15 PM

Haley supporters react to speech

ABC News contacted several of Nikki Haley's supporters to ask their reactions to her speech at the RNC Tuesday night.

Jack LaFrankie, a voter in Tennessee, told ABC News that he agreed with much of Haley's speech and that if the election were held today, he would reluctantly vote for Trump.

Eli Raykinstein, an incoming sophomore at Michigan State University, said her speech resonated with him.

"I also like how she spoke to the people who weren't totally sold on Trump, not just to the base he already has," Raykinstein said.

Thalia Flores from New Hampshire said she would never vote for Trump.

"Never. She just bought herself a cabinet position -- probably Secretary of State," she said.

After Haley's speech, Louis Hibbs, an undecided voter from Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, told ABC News that he's still undecided.

"I still can't help looking back at the debate and the way Biden was stumbling over his own words," he said.

Undecided North Carolina voter Roger Stewart told ABC News that Haley is a true Republican.

"I'm still undecided. That's my official and honest declaration. I loved her speech, though," Stewart said.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie, Kelsey Walsh and Isabella Murray

Jul 16, 11:08 PM

Rubio urges fighting 'with our voices and our votes'

In a message of party unity, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio called on Republicans to fight "with our voices and our votes."

"Our country has been injured by bad decisions and weak leaders," he said. "But now, though bloodied by our wounds, we must stand up and we must fight. Fight not with violence or destruction, but with our voices and our votes."

Rubio tried to counter against more extremist portrayals of the party, saying what Trump supporters want is "not extreme," but things like lower prices, secure borders and security.

"And they want for our leaders to care more about our problems here at home than about the problems of other countries far away. There is absolutely nothing dangerous, or anything divisive about putting Americans first," he said, as the crowd broke out into a chant of "USA! USA! USA!"

Jul 16, 11:03 PM

'First they tried to ruin his reputation ... then last weekend they tried to kill him': Ben Carson

Dr. Ben Carson, Trump's Housing and Urban Development secretary and former 2016 presidential rival, took the stage and argued that last week's assassination attempt was part of a long line of attacks against the former president.

"First, they tried to ruin his reputation, and he's more popular now than ever. And then they tried to bankrupt him, and he's got more money now than he had before. And then they tried to put him in prison, and he's freer and has made other people free with him. And then -- and then, last weekend they tried to kill him. And there he is over there, alive and well," Carson said to applause.

Carson did not specify who "they" were.

He went on to criticize the media and the government for dividing the nation contending the latter was "shredding our constitution and upending the rule of law.

Jul 16, 10:57 PM

'Corey, Corey, Corey' chant breaks out

During Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's remarks, the crowd chanted in honor of Corey Comperatore, the man killed during the assassination attempt on Trump during Saturday's rally.

"He was described as the best dad a girl could ever ask for," Rubio said. "He was a man of God who loved Jesus fiercely. He looked after members of his church. Corey was one of the millions of everyday Americans who make our country great."

Rubio continued, "He wasn't rich. He wasn't famous. And the only reason why we know his name and story now is because last Saturday, he shielded his wife and daughter from an assassin's bullet and lost his life the way he lived it, a hero."

The crowd then broke out into a chant of "Corey, Corey, Corey!"

Jul 16, 10:55 PM

GOP putting Harris front and center

Over and over again, the speakers on Tuesday night are taking jabs at Vice President Kamala Harris, going after her on immigration and arguing that a vote for President Joe Biden is a vote for Harris.

To be clear, Harris was tasked with addressing the root causes of immigration, not securing the border, but the spotlight on Harris is notable, especially given all the questions and concerns about Biden’s age.

But the argument that Harris is a drag on the ticket may be losing steam -- we have seen in recent days several polls showing Harris doing slightly better than Biden in a head-to-head matchup with Trump.

Of course, even Biden said Tuesday bluntly that Harris could be president, and he has argued a good one at that.

-ABC News' Mary Bruce

Jul 16, 11:23 PM

Democratic Party 'stabbed us in the back,' crime victim's mother says

Madeline Brame, one of the people billed by the RNC as an "everyday American," spoke about the murder of her son in an impassioned speech.

Her son, Hason Correa, was stabbed to death in New York City in 2018 at the age of 35 after serving in the military.

One of the people charged in his murder was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, while two accepted plea deals. Brame called the pleas an "injustice" that was "devastating for me and my family."

"We need justice for victims and we need accountability for prosecutors who fail in their duty," Brame said. "Soft-on-crime prosecutors like Alvin Bragg in New York, Kim Foxx in Chicago and George Gascón in Los Angeles have turned our great country and city into war zones."

She said the Democratic Party "stabbed us in the back."

"Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who claimed to represent us, have abandoned us," she said. "They neglected the poor minority communities across America."

Jul 16, 10:53 PM

Fact check: Drug overdose deaths

The Trump administration had limited success in reducing the estimated number of drug overdose deaths, mostly due to fentanyl and other opioids, from 2017 to 2018 from 70,237 to 67,367 according to data from the CDC. However, that progress was reversed in 2019 growing to 70,630 and then surged during the pandemic in Trump’s final year to 91,799>).

As the pandemic raged, that ugly trend continued during the Biden administration with overdose deaths climbing to 106,699 in 2021 and peaking in 2022 at 111,027 before falling slightly in 2023 to 107,543, according to CDC data.

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