When the Republican convention kicks off in Milwaukee this week, the stage will no doubt welcome a shiny new vice-presidential pick, impassioned speeches from core supporters, talk of the assassination attempt on former President Trump’s life over the weekend, and an avalanche of colored balloons and admiration for him. It will notably not be welcoming Trump’s most recent challenger for the nomination, former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
It was made public through her spokesman on Tuesday that Haley was not even invited to attend the convention, let alone included on the list of planned speakers, as would ordinarily be the case for the candidate with the next highest number of pledged delegates. This choice could be a petty but significant blunder for a candidate who prides himself on being a savvy dealmaker.
While it’s true that the days of delegate swaps and coalition forging over cigars and handshakes are long since over, there are still deals to be made on a convention floor. In the modern era, these deals are more about exchanging patronage for promotion and forgiveness for support, helping unite attendees and viewers behind a single candidate that will bear its message in the fall. For the winner of the primary contests, it’s an opportunity to shore up support from potential voters disgruntled that their candidate did not win. For the second-place finisher, it’s an opportunity to be welcomed back into the fold of the party’s majority, restore standing for future campaigns, and bask briefly
