Security, energy high as 100 Alaskans attend RNC in Milwaukee

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – At the Republian National Convention underway Monday in Milwaukee, Gov. Mike Dunleavy pledged Alaska’s 29 Republican delegate votes.

“The furthest northern state, western state and eastern state, the largest bears in the country, largest moose, biggest military, more retired veterans per capita,” said Gov. Dunleavy, addressing the RNC. “Once again, we pledge all of our votes 29 delegates to Donald Trump.”

Alaskans joined Republicans from across the nation in nominating the former president for a third time, as Trump named Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate. U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said there are 100 Alaskans at the RNC including himself.

“There’s heightened security here with regard particularly to the convention, as there should be,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan and GOP delegates cheered as they formally nominated Trump to the Republican presidential ticket less than two days after an assassination attempt was made on his life.

“You often hear the phrase, you know, ‘you don’t know what people’s courage will truly be until they’re under live fire,’” said Sullivan. “The President of the United States was under live fire. The President of the United States took a bullet.”

Sullivan, who was at the 2016 RNC in Ohio, said this year’s convention feels different for several reasons. Along with heightened security, he also said there’s a strong sense of unity and a high degree of energy. The senator echoed what many, across party lines, have been saying since Saturday, a call for a cooler political temperature in light of Saturday’s assassination attempt. Sullivan said Trump’s courage transcends political lines.

“He showed courage, he showed defiance and again, I don’t think that’s a Republican thing,” said Sullivan. “Americans wanted to see that. Nobody, nobody wants to see an elected politician in our great nation being shot or slain or even an attempt. So the fact that he got up while bleeding and showed that kind of courage and defiance, I think that was an important moment, not just for Republicans for the country.”

Sen. Sullivan, who’s a U.S. Marine, said he’s thrilled that former president Trump selected J.D. Vance as his running mate at said, in his words, that Vance is the first Marine Corps veteran to ever be nominated as vice president.

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, will not be attending the RNC.

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