Whoa. Via Politico:
A slot at the Republican National Convention used to be a career-maker — a chance to make your name on the big stage and to catch the eye of the Republican donors and activists who make or break campaigns. In the year of Trump: Not so much.
With the convention less than a month away, POLITICO contacted more than 50 prominent governors, senators and House members to gauge their interest in speaking. Only a few said they were open to it, and everyone else said they weren’t planning on it, didn’t want to, or weren’t going to Cleveland at all — or simply didn’t respond.
Trump’s team is tight-lipped about whom it’ll extend speaking invitations, as is the Republican National Committee. But many of the party’s most prominent pols say they’re flat-out not interested — and that Trump should look elsewhere. Their rejections range from terse to abrupt, and — in a year otherwise lacking in GOP unity — they seem to be using the same talking points.
A Trump spokesperson declined to comment on this year’s convention plans. But the billionaire, who has fashioned himself as a Beltway outsider, has hinted that he wants nonpoliticians to have major roles. During a rally this month, Trump floated the idea of having a “Winner’s Evening,” which would spotlight sports stars.