The Republican Party formally gathered to nominate President Donald Trump as their candidate for the November election, with delegates from states carrying out a formal roll call on Monday.
Trump secured more than the 1,276 delegates needed to win at about 12:10 pm eastern time as the roll call continued.
Trump formally has enough delegate votes to be the nominee (the roll call goes on) pic.twitter.com/jBNQB1ePQQ
— Edward Keenan (@thekeenanwire) August 24, 2020
#DonaldTrump has officially been re-nominated by the Republican party delegates. The #RollCall took place in person in Charlotte (albeit with just 300+ del present) #RepublicanConvention pic.twitter.com/HIQDgeXPbL
— Kethevane Gorjestani (@ketgorjestani) August 24, 2020
Trump won an estimated 2,339 delegates in the GOP primary elections between February and August, with his only opponent, former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, securing a lone delegate. Trump's other potential challengers, former Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh and former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford dropped out of the race last year before voting began.
2020 Republican National Convention
Traditionally, both parties favour nominating the incumbent when their party is in control of the presidency. The last time that a president wasn't nominated for a second term was Lyndon Johnson, who pulled out of the race for the nomination in 1968 owing to health concerns and intense infighting within the Democratic Party.
Only 336 of the over 2,000 total delegates were present in person in Charlotte, with the rest joining the convention via a videolink.
Republicans picked Mike Pence as their candidate for Vice President earlier Monday.
The Republican convention is expected to continue until August 27, with Trump and members of his family expected to make repeated appearances before he makes a formal nomination acceptance speech on Thursday evening from the White House. Other Republican politicians, as well as prominent party supporters and activists, are also expected to give speeches.