Chester County GOP rallies around delegates headed for Cleveland

Republicans speak at rally in Exton Sunday before delegates board bus to Cleveland for Republican National Convention (Rob Zawatski)

Republicans speak at rally in Exton Sunday before delegates board bus to Cleveland for Republican National Convention (Rob Zawatski)

Spirits were high in Chester County Sunday when area party members gathered together to send-off local delegates attending the 2016 Republican National Convention. 

Unity was a consistent theme among the delegates and well-wishers in attendance.

 

State Rep. Dan Truitt was one of the local party leaders on hand to show his support for the delegates. “I think there is going to be a lot of fellowship and opportunity to meet with people from other parts of the state, learn more about Donald Trump, and what his good sides are and what his bad sides are and hopefully they will focus on the 80 percent that is the good stuff and not focus on the twenty percent where they disagree with each other,” he said.

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Chester County Republican Party Chairman Val DiGiorgio admitted it took him some time to get excited about the party ticket, and voiced concerns about some of the presumptive Republican nominee’s rhetoric.  However he says Trump’s message of putting American’s first is resonating with voters and he is looking forward to joining his fellow delegates at the convention in Cleveland.

“It’s sort of Disney World for political junkies,” DiGiorgio said. “Everything’s so bright and all the candidates are out there, and elected officials from across the country, so that’s always fun, to get out there with our colleagues, but what’s always most exciting about it is leaving unified and that’s what these conventions are really for on both sides, so we have to leave this convention unified and get out there and start the hard work.”

Calvin R. Tucker, chairman of the Philadelphia Black Republican Council and a delegate attending this year’s convention, said there are a lot of misconceptions about the Republican Party and he is looking forward to supporting Trump.

“What I’m excited about —  to see the process unfold and to nominate the next President of the United States,” he said.

The “Make America Great Again” Republican National Convention in Cleveland kicks off on July 18. The four-day event will feature a variety of speakers including military veterans, actors, faith leaders, politicians, and Trump family members. Donald Trump is scheduled to speak on July 21st, the convention’s final day.

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