Oregon delegates are attending the Republican National Convention, which is currently underway in Milwaukee.
The event kicked off just two days after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, the party’s presidential nominee who is challenging President Joe Biden in the November general election.
Tracy Honl is Oregon’s RNC national committeewoman. It’s the third convention she has attended with Donald Trump at the top of the party’s election ticket.
She said the convention feels more unifying this time around.
“I hope after the assassination attempt, I think people see, hey, we need to tone it down,” she said. “We’re your neighbors, we’re your family, we’re your friends.”
On Monday, Trump announced Republican Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate. Honl added that she was surprised by the choice but is thrilled.
During an interview eight years ago on WHYY’s “Fresh Air” program, Vance was strongly critical of Trump.
“I can’t stomach Trump,” he said at the time. “I think that he’s noxious and is leading the white working class to a very dark place.”
Still, Honl said that people are allowed to change their minds and she plans to give Vance the benefit of the doubt.
“I know several people in Oregon who said the same thing: ‘We don’t like Trump,’” Honl said. “‘We’re never going to vote for him. How could you vote for Trump?’ Who are now calling me and saying, ‘I get it now. I’m with you.’”
Honl said she was hoping that the former president would have chosen someone like Arkansas Governor and his former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to be his running mate.
The convention runs through Thursday.
Honl spoke about the convention to “Think Out Loud” host Dave Miller. Listen to the full conversation:
