Republican convention in turmoil as anti-Trump delegates protest

By Ginger Gibson

CLEVELAND (Reuters) – The Republican National Convention was in an uproar on Monday after opponents of presumptive U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump failed in their effort to hold a roll-call vote in opposition to his candidacy.

The anti-Trump forces at the Cleveland convention started shouting “Roll Call” after the party leaders approved by acclamation rules at the start of the convention that barred them from registering their opposition.

Party leaders declared there was insufficient support to allow for a roll-call vote that would record the number of delegates opposed to Trump, a New York businessman who has never held political office and has struggled to win over many mainstream Republicans.

Some delegates walked out of the convention in protest at the leaders’ ruling while others chanted loudly, demanding a roll-call vote take place.

Trump last week declared the so-called “Never Trump” movement dead, tweeting that “#NeverTrump is never more.”

(Writing by Howard Goller; Editing by Ross Colvin)