Republican leadership reportedly telling members to skip national convention


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
When asked Tuesday if he would be attending the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July, former presidential candidate Jeb Bush gave CNN a resounding "No." He's not alone: Following a rough-and-tumble primary season, many top Republicans are thinking they would rather campaign at home than dive into what has the potential to become an all-out brawl in Ohio.
"I've got a lot of work to do in New Hampshire, I have my own re-election and I'm going to be focusing on my voters in New Hampshire," Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) said when asked if she would be packing her bags for Cleveland this summer.
"I'm up for re-election. I'm more valuable outside of Cleveland than inside of Cleveland," explained another Republican, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But according to unnamed insiders who spoke with CNN, staying out of Ohio might just be the best strategy for establishment Republicans:
The decision underscores the dilemma confronting Republicans in being tied too closely to the top of the ticket — particularly incumbents from swing states worried that Trump's divisive candidacy and Ted Cruz's rigid brand of conservatism will doom their chances at keeping power in both chambers of Congress.Quietly, some officials in the highest rungs of Republican leadership are advising their rank-and-file members to stay away from Cleveland. One top GOP party leader, who asked not to be named so they could discuss internal thinking, told CNN privately that he has advised his colleagues to hold campaign rallies and town halls in their home states during the time of the July convention. A senior Senate GOP leadership aide echoed that sentiment. [CNN]
Even Tea Party conservatives are hesitant about leaving their posts for the convention. Rep. Mick Mulvaney, a co-founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said he wanted "the activists... the people" to decide on the nominee in July.
"I've decided not to go to Cleveland," Mulvaney told CNN. "I'm going to stay home and work."
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Biden creates White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
Speed Read The office will be led by Vice President Kamala Harris
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Rishi Sunak lambasts China after allegations of spy in UK Parliament
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Judge denies Mark Meadows' request to move Georgia case to federal court
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson dies at 75
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Clarence Thomas officially discloses trips from billionaire GOP donor
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Judge schedules Trump federal election plot trial for crowded March 2024
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Trump surrenders in Georgia election subversion case
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin ally-turned-rival, presumed dead in plane crash
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published