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The Situation Room
Interview With Congressman Peter King; Republican National Convention Night Two; Trump Campaign Accused of Plagiarizing Michelle Obama; Nomination of Donald Trump Underway. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired July 19, 2016 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:03]
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I will go back to the map. This is how we ended the primary season.
And because of that, because of all that Donald Trump on that map, that's why the Republican Convention looks like this today, dominated by Donald Trump after the primaries. We expect to be dominating in this roll call vote, Wolf, but we will watch and see if there's any shenanigans.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. And we will cover every step of the way.
All right, John, thanks very much.
Dana Bash is on the floor. Jake Tapper is on the floor.
I want to go to Dana first.
Dana, you're right at the Utah delegation and we know there's not necessarily a whole lot of support for Donald Trump in Utah.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: No.
That's right. Utah is definitely Ted Cruz country in 2016.
And I have with me here the head of the Utah delegation. And before the roll call begins, I want to ask you. I just witnessed kind of the drama that is happening. I just witnessed a Trump or party person come over to you and almost physically try to twist your arm because you all are planning to nominate Ted Cruz, not Donald Trump.
PHIL WRIGHT, UTAH DELEGATION CHAIRMAN: Well, it's not nominating. We're casting our vote for the candidate who received the majority of the vote; 70 percent of Utah's residents voted for Ted Cruz.
And as the delegation chair, I will be casting our vote for Ted Cruz.
BASH: And what I just witnessed, which I'm sure was one of many, many interactions that you have had was him, somebody, an individual from the party trying to convince you otherwise, correct?
WRIGHT: Well, there's a lot of different thoughts out there. BASH: That's a yes. Right?
WRIGHT: There's a lot of people trying to get everyone to change their votes. The fact is, the candidates were bound, even more so with the rules we just voted on yesterday. So the state of Utah will be voting for Ted Cruz.
BASH: OK. If our camera can see, there's the microphone you will use. There's your Utah sign.
You're going to be the person who we are going to see at the microphone and you're going to say that Utah goes for Ted Cruz, not Donald Trump.
WRIGHT: I'm not going to say it's not for Donald Trump. I'm going to announce what our residents voted for in the state of Utah. Our delegates will go to Ted Cruz.
BASH: Thank you so much for your time.
Wolf, as I toss it back to you, I want to tell you something else that is going on here, which is that symbolically, what the Trump campaign, what they're hoping is that when they get to the magic number of 1,237, which formally nominates Donald Trump to be their presidential candidate, that that will be New York.
But the way the map goes and the way the alphabet goes, they're going to have to get states to abstain and pull back, and I'm told by sources here that they're having some trouble getting states to pull back in order to let New York formally put Donald Trump over the top -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Dana is in Utah.
Let's go over to New York.
Jake Tapper is there.
Jake, they want Donald Trump Jr. to make it official, 1,237 in New York state, but it's not necessarily completely a done deal. You just heard Dana say some of the states may not cooperate.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: That's right, although where I am right now, New York, the Empire State, Donald Trump's home state, they are eager to see this. Obviously, the seats are a little bit better than the Utah delegation has.
This is front-row center.
And we're here with Congressman Peter King of New York.
Congressman, thanks for joining us.
You have not been a huge supporter of Mr. Trump throughout the primary process, but you're on board now? REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: Yes, Donald Trump was not my first choice, but he's my final choice. He's the nominee of the party, and on the key issues between him and Hillary Clinton, there's no doubt that Donald Trump is superior in national security, homeland security, Supreme Court, defending the police, all of that. I support Donald Trump.
We still have differences, but, hey, there's a big party. It's a unified party.
TAPPER: Has there been a New York president since Franklin Roosevelt?
KING: Not really, unless you want to call Eisenhower -- he was actually living in New York at the time. But, no, Franklin Roosevelt is the last one.
TAPPER: So this must be kind of exciting for you guys, right?
KING: Usually, we're sitting back in the men's room somewhere. This is great to be up front like this. We got a good hotel. We're up close.
And I'm here with John LaValle, the first chairman to endorse him. It's great.
TAPPER: If nothing else, you have great seats, so thanks so much, Congressman.
KING: I will invite you to the inauguration. We will have good seats then too.
TAPPER: All right, thanks so much -- Anderson.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Jake, thanks very much. Interesting to see Congressman King out there now on board with Donald Trump.
We're here with the panel, Mike Shields in particular, our delegate analyst and former chief of staff of the RNC.
You have been impressed by the whip operation that the Trump campaign and the RNC have actually put together on the floor.
MIKE SHIELDS, FORMER RNC CHIEF OF STAFF: Yes. The point I was making before is, we have talked about some organization and how some failings in it have led to things like the speech problem we had last night.
But this convention, they faced more challenges at this convention than a lot of whip operations of other nominees, most of them, all of them that we know about. And they have actually succeeded. They have actually done a pretty good job of quelling.
There was a question today, would they get enough signatures to put Ted Cruz's name in nomination? They are not going to have it. That's a reflection on the organization you see with all these hats walking around. It is centralized. [18:05:02]
It's going up through Paul Manafort. He really knows what he's doing when it comes to organizing a whip operation. I think it's worth talking about.
COOPER: We heard one of the delegates telling Dana Bash that people have been going around trying to convince them don't cast the votes for Ted Cruz.
How is this organized? There is a whip office, these guys in -- men and women in the DayGlo hats. They have earpieces. They're told kind of where to go on the floor, like there's a brushfire?
SHIELDS: They have it broken out in the map on the states and who knows who. A lot of it is about relationships.
Some of the people put on the whip scene will be people from those states or have worked in those states and have relationships in those states. And the point about Utah is once Donald Trump gets New York to put him over the top, it's sort of a done -- a nice thing, where all the other states will just say, he's already won it. Let's do it. For them to keep even at that point saying, no, we're going for Cruz, they're just trying to say, hey, guys, it's not going to make a difference, but wouldn't it be nice for party unity if you did this?
They're saying, hey, the rules are the rules. We're bound by them. We're going to still say we're for Ted Cruz, even after he's gotten it.
COOPER: What do you make of the report of concern that some states won't sort of defer to allow New York to actually put Donald Trump over the top?
SHIELDS: Yes, that's another problem.
I think that's -- frankly, that's getting to the level of being really petty. It's one thing to have a demonstration, you're trying to make a point. You are not going to allow his home state after he's won the contest, millions of voters voted for him? I think regardless of what we think of Trump, that's getting to the point where it's really doing a disservice I think to the party.
COOPER: Jeffrey?
JEFFREY LORD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: There was a precedent for this. In 1960, Barry Goldwater is remembered for giving his famous speech, let's grow up, conservatives.
The reason he was on the podium was because the Louisiana delegation gave him 10 votes over Richard Nixon, who was, like Donald Trump, the inevitable nominee. So Goldwater had to step up there and say thank you, but no thank you, and I know some of you are unhappy, but let's get out there and work for Richard Nixon and then let's grow up, conservatives, and we want to take the party back. Interestingly, this candidate, so-called, is Ted Cruz. So whatever
happens here in the fall election, you wonder in terms of -- is Ted Cruz another Barry Goldwater in terms of the movement that begins here at the convention?
GLORIA BORGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: He would hope so, because he'd like to get the nomination if there's no incumbent president next time around. I'm not so sure he wouldn't even challenge the incumbent president.
But what we're talking about is just mischief at this point. It's not serious, they're going to nominate somebody else. Yesterday, when we were talking about the problems yesterday, we were thinking this could be a serious issue. We might get a little walkout, you might get people not showing up, maybe they won't let New York put them over, maybe Utah will raise a stink, but overall the whip operation really is in charge here.
And whether it's Paul Manafort in concert with the Republican National Committee who knew this kind of stuff was going to happen, and so they're kind of keeping -- they have an iron fist here.
COOPER: Michael Smerconish, does the mischief matter?
MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: The mischief matters only in so far as at the end of the night Donald Trump will be the nominee and we will no longer be talking about plagiarism. Frankly, I think it's a pretty good thing for him. Right? It's going to change the story arc.
(CROSSTALK)
SCOTTIE NELL HUGHES, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: ... what we have dealt with today. Paul Manafort is excellent at this. We all admit this.
The campaign side of it, which is what the issues we have had today, though, I think that's probably -- the campaign side. He's never really been a campaign -- he's been a delegate organizer. He's done this far.
I think this seeks to why Mr. Trump originally had two people serving in these roles, one that handled the campaign, one that handled the delegates in the convention.
COOPER: Paul Ryan is back on. Let's listen to him.
REP. PAUL RYAN (R-WI), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: As required by Rule 37 of our convention rules, during the roll call, the states will be called in alphabetical order.
Any delegation may pass when its name is called. Without objection, the state of New York may cast its votes out of order.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RYAN: That's not an objection, for the record. During the roll call, the chairs of each respective delegation or
their designee will announce the vote of each state. During the roll call of the states, the secretary will announce each state, its total number of available votes and the number of votes bound to each candidate.
As required by rule 37C, no delegation will be recognized to change its votes until all delegations who have passed have been given a second opportunity to vote. Additionally, the chair would like to remind all delegates that the secretary is required under the rules of the convention to announce and record delegates' votes in accordance with their obligations under Rule 16 of the convention rules, state law, or state party rule to reflect the voters' preference in each state.
[18:10:10]
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RYAN: The official results from each state are those announced by the secretary.
The chair wishes to announce that if a delegate requests a poll be taken of their delegation under Rule 37, the secretary will send representatives of the convention to supervise the polling of the delegation.
After the poll is completed, the results will be delivered to the secretary and the secretary shall announce the result at the end of the roll call of states, in accordance with the rules.
Shh. Shh.
Lastly, I wish to remind our delegates, our alternates and guests that maintaining order during the roll call is extremely important. If the convention is not in order, it is difficult for the secretary or the presiding officer to hear the votes announcement or otherwise acknowledge delegates seeking recognition.
To conduct the roll call of states, I am pleased to introduce at this time our distinguished secretary of the convention, Susie Hudson, and Assistant Secretary Jeff Kent.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
SUSIE HUDSON, SECRETARY, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION: Delegates and alternates, let us commence the call of the roll of the states.
Alabama, 50 delegates with the following bound delegates, 36 Trump, 13 Cruz, one Rubio.
SEN. JEFF SESSIONS (R), ALABAMA: Mr. Speaker, the great state of Alabama, the home of national champion football teams Alabama and Auburn.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SESSIONS: The home of the Saturn V rocket that took us to the moon,
the place where we had two of the greatest Trump rallies in the nation's history, Mobile and Huntsville, is proud to cast its vote, one vote, for Marco Rubio, 13 votes for Ted Cruz, 36 votes for the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
JEFF KENT, ASSISTANT SECRETARY, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Alabama, 36 votes Trump, 13 votes Cruz, one vote Rubio.
HUDSON: Alaska, 28 delegates with the following bound delegates, 28 Trump.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alaska, we proudly vote exactly the way the people of Alaska voted, 12 votes for Cruz, 11 votes for Trump, five votes for Marco Rubio.
The great state of Alaska reports exactly as our people voted. And we support the nominee of this party, Donald J. Trump.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alaska, the largest state in the union, Alaska, more coastline than the rest of the continental United States, where energy, the Arctic, fishing, tourism, the great land and last frontier, God bless Alaska.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
[18:15:05]
KENT: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Alaska, 28 votes Trump.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HUDSON: American Samoa...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman
HUDSON: Nine delegates.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman (INAUDIBLE) and hello, world. Hello, America.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The territory of American Samoa in the southernmost reaches of U.S. soil, the greatest exporter of NFL players, the whole kit and caboodle, all nine delegates, to the future, immediate future president of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
COOPER: We're here with our delegate analyst, Mike Shields, what's happening right now?
SHIELDS: They're just doing the roll call of the states. And no one has skipped yet.
KENT: ... American Samoa, nine votes Trump.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
SHIELDS: It's pretty routine at this point.
HUDSON: Arizona...
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HUDSON: .. 58 delegates with the following bound delegates, 58 Trump.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
ROBERT GRAHAM, CHAIRMAN, ARIZONA REPUBLICAN PARTY: Madam Secretary, my name is Robert Graham, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party. I'm reporting and happy to announce from the hottest state in the country for job growth, Arizona delivers 58 bound votes to the nominee, Donald J. Trump, the next president of the United States of America!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
KENT: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Arizona, 58 votes Trump.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HUDSON: Arkansas, 40 delegates with the following bound delegates, 16 Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Arkansas, land of opportunity and birthplace of Johnny Cash and Al Green, we're open for business and growing jobs and manufacturing and high tech, and Republicans control every statewide office, the legislature and the entire congressional delegations.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unemployment is at its lowest in history. We got the best duck hunting on earth. We're number one in rice production. We raise delicious catfish. We cast our lines for world-class trout. We cast 40 votes, 15 votes for Ted Cruz, and 25 votes for the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump!
KENT: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Arkansas, 25 votes Trump, 15 votes Cruz.
HUDSON: California...
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HUDSON: ... 172 delegates with the following bound delegates, 172 Trump.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
AUDIENCE: We want Trump! We want Trump! We want Trump! We want Trump!
HUDSON: Hold it down, California.
[18:20:04]
SHIRLEY HUSAR, CALIFORNIA DELEGATE: Mr. Chairman -- Mr. Chairman, my name is Shirley Husar.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HUSAR: I am the mother of three boys of the Greater Los Angeles area.
Mr. Chairman, it is so important that my sons, my three sons, have hope and opportunity for their future, that there are good jobs and that there are families that need safety in their communities.
Mr. Chairman, Donald Trump is the candidate that can provide for my boys and all Californians the hope and opportunity of the true America.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HUSAR: That's why I am honored to stand before you today in behalf of the great state of California.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HUSAR: California, that is 100 percent rock-solid pro-Trump delegation.
And I am proud to place 172 votes to the nominee of the next of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
AUDIENCE: We want Trump! We want Trump! We want Trump! We want Trump!
KENT: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, California, 172 votes Trump.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HUDSON: Colorado, 37 delegates. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman, the Frontier State, the great state
of Colorado, where the Plains meet the Rocky Mountains on God's most beautiful piece of real estate, home of Senator Cory Gardner, future senator Darryl Glenn, and the world champion Denver Broncos...
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... the Centennial State votes, 31 votes for Ted Cruz.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two votes abstain. And four votes for the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
KENT: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Colorado four votes Trump, 31 votes Cruz, two abstentions.
HUDSON: Connecticut, 28 delegates, with the following bound delegates, 28 Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, Mr. Chairman, I come from the land where we manufacture PEZ, nuclear submarines, and the home of the WWE, where men are men and the women are champions.
The great state of Connecticut is casting all 28 delegates for the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
KENT: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Connecticut, 28 votes Trump.
HUDSON: Delaware, 16 delegates with the following bound delegates, 16 Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Chair, the great state of Delaware, the first state to ratify the Constitution, the home of former Governors Pete du Pont and Mike Castle, the state that, with a diverse slate of millennial candidates, will win control of its state Senate this year for the first time in 44 years, the state that is going to elect 20- year Air Force reserve veteran Hans Reigle to the United States, casts all of its 16 votes for Donald J. Trump for president.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
[18:25:08]
KENT: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Delaware, 16 votes Trump.
HUDSON: District of Columbia, 19 delegates, with the following bound delegates, 19 Trump.
MAN: No! MAN: No!
MAN: Roll call! Roll call!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Secretary, Mr. Chairman, the District of Columbia, whose local GOP organization was instrumental in the creation of the Republican National Committee back in 1856, the District of Columbia, delineated by George Washington and graced by Abraham Lincoln, the District of Columbia, home of that great Republican Frederick Douglass and capital of the greatest country in the world, and, in accordance with the will of its citizens, our delegation is duly bound to cast 10 votes for Senator Rubio and nine votes for Governor John Kasich.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(BOOING)
KENT: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, District of Columbia, 19 votes Trump.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
HUDSON: Florida, 99 delegates
BLITZER: All right, we're going to continue to watch this dramatic roll call unfold.
Let's take a quick break. We will show you during the break the roll call as it unfolds.
Stay with us, much more from inside the convention hall here in Cleveland.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Hawaii right now is continuing with the roll call.
[18:31:343] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump, 11 delegates. Cruz, seven, and Marco Rubio one. Eleven delegates for the next president of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Hawaii, 11 votes Trump, seven votes Cruz, one vote Rubio.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Idaho, 32 delegates with the following bound delegates: 12 Trump.
RON CRANE, IDAHO DELEGATE: Madam chairman, my name is Ron Crane, and I'm from the state of Idaho, where we have famous potatoes. Idaho is the most Republican state in the nation. We are so Republican that, when we say the pledge of allegiance, it's to the Republicans for which it stands.
Our entire congressional delegation is Republican. All of our statewide constitutional officers are Republican, and our legislature is 80 percent Republican. We are, indeed, a red state.
We are proud to cast our votes, as a result of our primary election: 20 votes for Ted Cruz -- and 12 votes for the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Idaho, 12 votes Trump, 70 [SIC] votes Cruz. I'm sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Twenty.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One moment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Twenty.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll do that one again. Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Idaho, 12 votes Trump, 20 votes Cruz.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Illinois, 69 delegates with the following bound delegates: 54 Trump, nine Cruz, six Kasich.
JOHN CAVALO (PH), ILLINOIS DELEGATE: Mr. Chairman, I am John Cavalo (ph), state representative from the great state of Illinois, the only Hispanic member on the Republican side of the aisle serving the House of Representatives. It is my honor to introduce our chairman, Tim Snyder (ph).
[18:35:00] TIM SNYDER (PH), ILLINOIS DELEGATE: Good evening, my fellow Republicans. More importantly, my fellow Americans. I'm a proud citizen of the state of Illinois and the United States of America, and we have the finest governor in our nation in Governor Bruce Rauner.
The state of Illinois casts six delegates for John Kasich, 9 delegates for Ted Cruz, and 54 delegates for the next president of the United States Donald J. Trump. Woo, woo, woo! Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Illinois, 54 votes Trump, nine votes Cruz, six votes Kasich.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Indiana, 57 delegates with the following bound delegates: 57 Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Secretary, the great state of Indiana who, under the strong conservative leadership of vice-presidential nominee Governor Mike Pence, has a $2 billion surplus, with over 150,000 private sector new jobs since 2013, with more Hoosiers working today than ever before in our 200-year history, casts its 57 votes for the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Indiana, 57 votes Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Iowa, 30 delegates with the following bound delegates: 30 Trump.
MATT SCHULTZ (PH), CHAIRMAN OF IOWA DELEGATION: Thank you, Madam Secretary. Let me just start by saying go Hawks!
My name is Matt Schultz (ph), former Iowa secretary of state and chairman of the Iowa delegation, representing the home of the two hardest-working U.S. senators, Senator Chuck Grassley and Senator Joni Ernst, and the longest-serving governor in American history, Governor Terry Branstad.
Pursuant to the rules, the state of Iowa proudly casts its 30 votes for the next president of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Iowa, 30 votes Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kansas, 40 delegates with the following bound delegates: nine Trump, 24 Cruz, six Rubio, one Kasich.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam -- Madam Secretary, Kansas, home of the greatest fans of the reigning World Series champions, the Kansas City Royals, proud home of the iconic Bob Dole, casts nine votes for the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, 24 votes for Senator Ted Cruz, six votes for Senator Marco Rubio and one vote for Governor John Kasich.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Kansas, nine votes Trump, 24 votes Cruz, six votes Rubio and one vote Kasich.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kentucky, 46 delegates with the following bound delegates: 17 Trump.
[18:40:08] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman, from the Bluegrass State, the commonwealth of Kentucky, the home of Churchill Downs and American Pharoah, the source of bluegrass music and the home of Bill Monroe; from the state where the largest Toyota manufacturing plant in the world is located, the maker of the Ford F-150 and the Chevy Corvette; from the state that produces all the bourbon fit to drink in the world; from a state where our citizens still respect God and the Constitution and our military and our police officers, it is our honor to cast our votes, seven for Governor Kasich, seven for Senator Rubio, 15 for Senator Cruz and 17 for the next president of the United States of America, Mr. Donald J. Trump.
BLITZER: Donald Trump now well on his way to capturing that moment, 1,237.
Let's take a quick break. We'll continue to show you the tally, the roll call at the -- on your screen during this quick commercial break. When we come back, history will be made. Donald Trump will get 1,237 delegates. He will be the Republican nominee for president.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [18:46:06] BLITZER: Welcome back to the Republican National Convention. The roll call continues, Donald Trump is almost -- is almost all there. We just heard from Massachusetts.
Listen to this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From the great commonwealth of Massachusetts, Cruz, four, Kasich, eight, Rubio, eight and, guess what? They may have said we are the bluest state in the Union, but we are casting 22 delegates votes for Mr. Donald J. Trump.
(CHEERS)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He will make America great again come November.
CHAIRMAN: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Massachusetts 22 votes Trump, four votes Cruz, eight votes Rubio and eight votes John Kasich.
SECRETARY: Michigan, 59 delegates with the following bound delegates, 25 Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Madam Secretary, Michigan passes.
SECRETARY: Michigan passes.
Minnesota 38 delegates with the following bound delegates. Eight Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam secretary, on behalf of the great state of Minnesota, home of 10,000 lakes, home of Spam and home of the late, great Prince, and the state that has had the longest drought of casting our electoral votes for a Republican president which will change this year cast the following, Rubio 17, Cruz 13, and eight for the next president of the United States of America, Donald Trump. .
(CHEERS)
CHAIRMAN: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and rules of this convention, Minnesota, eight votes Trump, 17 votes Rubio, 13 votes, Cruz.
SECRETARY: Mississippi, 40 delegates with the following bound delegates, 25 Trump, 15 Cruz.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Secretary, the great state of Mississippi, the birthplace of America's music, respects and pursuant to the rules will cast 15 votes for Ted Cruz and 25 votes for the next president of the United States and New York's favorite son, Donald J. Trump.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
CHAIRMAN: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Mississippi, 25 votes, Trump, 15 votes, Cruz.
SECRETARY: Missouri, 52 delegates with the following bound delegates, 37 Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Secretary, congratulations, I'm proud of you, by the way. And Kansas, I love you, but Missouri is the home to the world series champions Kansas City Royals.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Missouri, home of 11-time world champion St. Louis Cardinals. Missouri, the birthplace of talk radio and AM1120 KMOX, the voice of St. Louis.
[18:50:06] Missouri, home of the 12-time delegate conservative icon with us, she's with us tonight, Phyllis Schlafly.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Missouri, birthplace of ragtime music and our great Senator Roy Blunt, Missouri casts 11 votes for Ted Cruz and Missouri casts 41 votes for the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
CHAIRMAN: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Missouri 41 votes, Trump, 11 votes, Cruz.
SECRETARY: Montana, 27 delegates for the following, 27, Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Madam Secretary, I am Teresa Manzilla (ph) from the great state of Montana. We, the people of Montana, grateful to God for the quiet beauty of our state, the grandeur of our mountains, the vastness of our rolling plains and desiring to improve the quality of life, equality of opportunity and to secure the blessings of liberty for this and future generations, do hereby 27 delegates to Donald J. Trump.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
CHAIRMAN: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Montana, 27 votes, Trump.
SECRETARY: Nebraska, 36 delegates with the following bound delegates, 36 Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Secretary, Nebraska, the good life with great opportunity. The home of Silicon Prairie News, the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, the number one beef-producing state in the Union, a place where people find their happiness from honest work and where a person's word is their bond cast their 36 bound delegates for the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
CHAIRMAN: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Nebraska, 36 votes, Trump.
SECRETARY: Nevada, 30 delegates with the following bound delegates, 14, Trump, 6, Cruz, 7, Rubio, 1, Kasich, 2, Carson.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman, I am Nevada's Attorney General Adam Laxalt introducing chairman Michael J. McDonald.
(CHEERING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman, thank you. From the great state of Nevada where blue lives matter!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
We are battle born, by the first Republican president in 1864, we are very proud of our nation, from the great shores of Lake Tahoe, to the most entertaining capital city, Las Vegas, Nevada, this time what is in Las Vegas will not stay in Las Vegas. We are here to cast our votes. One vote, Governor Kasich, six, Senator Ted Cruz, seven, Marco Rubio, and 16 for the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
BLITZER: Right now we are waiting for Nevada. That's the next state to make it official. We are about to get New York state. That's when they want to go over the top, 1,237. That's the number of delegates you need to become the nominee.
[18:55:00] The New York state delegation presumably will make -- will have Donald Trump go over the top. Donald Trump, Jr., the son of the nominee -- let's listen in.
CHAIRMAN: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, Nevada, 14 votes, Trump, six votes, Cruz, seven votes, Rubio, one vote, Kasich and two votes, Carson.
SECRETARY: New Hampshire, 23 delegates for the following bound delegates, 11, Trump.
COREY LEWANDOWSKI, NEW HAMPSHIRE DELEGATE: Madam Secretary, my name is Corey Lewandowski. I represent the people of the great state of New Hampshire. The live free or die state, a state that has no sales or income tax, and a state that was the first to recognize Donald J. Trump and deliver the first victory on his behalf on a path to 38 victories that he achieved.
It is my pleasure tonight to read the votes on behalf of the people of New Hampshire. Two votes for Marco Rubio, three votes for Jeb Bush, three votes for Ted Cruz, four votes for John Kasich, and 11 votes for my friend and the president of the United States, Donald J. Trump!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(INAUDIBLE)
BLITZER: New Jersey is next, then New York state. Let's listen in to New Jersey. New York state coming up, but New York may pass. CHAIRMAN: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the
rules of this convention, New Hampshire 11 votes, Trump, two votes Rubio, three votes, Bush, three votes, Cruz, and four votes, Kasich.
(CHEERS)
SECRETARY: New Jersey, 51 delegates for the following bound delegates, 51, Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Secretary, I am the son Chris Christie.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
New Jersey, the Garden State, the greatest state in the Union and the state that cast the highest overall percentage of its popular vote for Mr. Trump, is pleased to announce that it's 51 delegates will be given to Donald J. Trump for president of the United States.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
CHAIRMAN: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, New Jersey, 51 votes, Trump.
SECRETARY: New Mexico, 24 delegates for the following bound delegates, 24, Trump.
GOV. SUSANA MARTINEZ (R), NEW MEXICO: Madam Secretary, I am Governor Susana Martinez.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
I am proud to represent what beautiful, exciting and diverse a culture that is so diverse, an amazing state, the land of enchantment and the great state of New Mexico, standing here with me is Sam Legun (ph) who is one of our youngest delegates and is part of our future of our party and of our country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Secretary, I am proud to stand next to the nation's first female Hispanic governor!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
She's the reason I'm such a committed Republican and we are proud to cast New Mexico's 24 votes to the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
CHAIRMAN: Pursuant to the announcement of the delegation and the rules of this convention, New Mexico, 23 votes, Trump.
