In a move that perhaps seemed unfathomable to many back in June 2015 when Donald Trump announced his candidacy for the presidency via a speech that included the phrase “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best,” the businessman is now officially the Republican Party’s nominee.
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Paul Ryan announced the nomination following yesterday’s (July 19) delegate roll call vote at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland:
.@SpeakerRyan announces that @realDonaldTrump has officially won the Republican nomination https://t.co/ugDiAbymfo
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) July 20, 2016
Trump secured the backing of 1,725 delegates—well beyond the 1,237 he needed to represent his party in the general election this November. NPR reports that his former opponents also received some votes: “Ted Cruz received 475 votes, John Kasich got 120, Marco Rubio received 114 , Ben Carson got seven, Jeb Bush three and Rand Paul received two.” Delegates also nominated Indiana governor Mike Pence to serve as Trump’s running mate.
Trump tweeted his reaction to the vote, and will accept the nomination via a speech on Thursday:
Such a great honor to be the Republican Nominee for President of the United States. I will work hard and never let you down! AMERICA FIRST!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2016