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Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann nominated former President Donald Trump during a speech that opened the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee Monday. This is the first time an Iowan has given a nomination speech at the Republican National Convention.
Kaufmann’s speech comes just two days after Trump survived a shooting at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening.
All of Iowa’s 40 delegates went to Trump during the first round of votes for the Republican nomination for U.S. President.
Trump received the majority of state delegates during a roll call vote on Monday with a total of 2,387 delegates, officially taking the nomination.
Kaufmann stressed the importance of the Iowa Caucuses where Trump took an early landslide victory. Trump won Iowa with 51 percent of the Republican Caucus votes, beating out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis by almost 30 percent.
Kaufmann emphasized the retail politics that has brought national recognition and media attention to the Iowa Caucuses and said the GOP is the “party of the people, not the party of the bosses.”
“As we all gather here in Milwaukee, it is important for us to remember that this is a grassroots party,” Kaufmann said to cheers and applause on Monday. “Donald Trump has earned the trust of the people, he has listened to them and Donald Trump has kept his word.”
Trump held considerably fewer campaign stops than his opponents during the lead-up to the Iowa Caucuses.
Kaufmann pointed to the next four days of the convention where speakers will explore different themes of the party’s new platform, also adopted on Monday, as a program “for all Americans.”
“[The Party Platform is] a program that acknowledges that our nation has seen better days, and we can and we will blaze a brighter future,” Kauffmann said Monday. “We love America. We want to restore her security, her prosperity and her excellence. I invite all of you to join me in supporting President Donald Trump in this great endeavor.”
Kaufmann has refrained from endorsing candidates before the Iowa Caucuses, but was a strong supporter of Trump during his time in office and since he became the party’s de facto nominee.
Kaufmann’s son state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, was a senior adviser to Trump during his Iowa caucus campaign.
Iowa attorney general Brenna Bird is expected to speak during the convention’s official session on Tuesday.