What’s life like for a Pa. delegate?
Marc A. Scaringi, a Pennsylvania delegate representing the 4th Congressional District, takes photos on the floor of the Quicken Loans Arena before the start of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio on Monday. (Photo: Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record)
The week is made up of lots of meetings over meals, many hours in the convention center and some close encounters with national political figures.
(Cleveland) — Before Joe Sacco reached the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the rest of the party area, he found out he couldn’t bring a gun inside.
Sacco, a Shrewsbury resident and former Maryland chief constable, said he understood. Sacco checked his gun with law enforcement officials.
The delegate to the Republican National Convention for the 4th Congressional District, which includes all of York and Adams counties, ended up having a good time at the Sunday evening party. The band Three Dog Night was there, and Sacco left with a picture of him posing with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
For delegates in Cleveland, the week is made up of lots of meetings over meals, many hours in the convention center and some close encounters with national political figures.
On Monday morning, several Pennsylvania delegates said they hadn’t seen any protesters the night before, and they said they felt safe with a large security presence. Here is a look at what their time, so far, is like in Cleveland.
Arrival and security
Buses with Pennsylvania delegates arrived at a hotel in the Westlake area of Ohio, a little more than 15 miles from the Quicken Loans Arena, on Sunday.
The hotel had Pennsylvania-themed decorations on the walls. Delegates, alternate delegates and their guests could snack on Keystone State fare, including Utz and Middleswarth potato chips, Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels, Hershey’s Kisses and Yuengling beer.
Some were catching up or meeting for the first time.
Pennsylvania has sent 71 delegates to the Republican National Convention, and the majority — 54 of them — were elected directly by voters in April based on congressional districts. Many ran as Trump supporters, pledging to support him through multiple ballots, if necessary.
“It’s a populist group of delegates,” said Congressman Tom Marino, a Republican delegate and the state chairman for Trump’s campaign. “It’s mainstream, hardworking taxpayers who are fed up with the establishment.”
The fatal shootings of law enforcement officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were on Sacco’s mind Sunday. He wore his old Baltimore City police badge around his neck, next to delegate credentials. The badge had black tape over it, in honor of law enforcement officers killed recently.
Sacco said a lot of the people on the state-GOP organized bus trip he took to Ohio were concerned about their safety in Cleveland.
“They were happy that a few of us were carrying, in case anybody tried anything,” he said after arriving at the Westlake hotel.
Sacco said he was in a parking lot Sunday evening waiting to go to an opening celebration, when Secret Service and other law enforcement officials directed him and others with firearms into one area. At first, law enforcement officials planned to send them all back to their hotels with the guns, but then they decided to let them check the weapons and pick them up later that night.
“They were nice about it,” Sacco said.
Mixed reviews for Ryan’s speech
On Monday morning, delegate Matthew Jansen and alternate delegate Betsy Hower waited in line for breakfast in their hotel. U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan was scheduled as the keynote speaker at breakfast.
Jansen, of North Codorus Township, called Ryan’s support of Trump “weak.” Hower, chairwoman of the Adams County Republican Committee, said she hopes Ryan’s support increases after this week, once Trump formally receives the party’s nomination.
At the breakfast, several speakers spoke about the importance of Pennsylvania this election.
Betsy Hower, the chairwoman of the Adams County Republican Committee, shakes hands with Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, after his speech at the Pennsylvania Republican delegate breakfast in the Westlake, Ohio DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel on Monday. Hower is in Cleveland as an alternate for the Republican National Convention. Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record
Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican and Green Bay Packers fan, started off by waving a Pittsburgh Steelers “Terrible Towel.”
“I want to win this election so darn badly that I am willing to do this,” he said to cheers.
During his speech, Ryan talked about policy proposals from Republicans in Congress. He called the election a “binary choice” between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Trump. Ryan expressed support for Trump, but he didn’t say much about him. He offered more Praise for Trump’s pick for vice president, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a former member of Congress who served with Ryan.
“This is a man of the conservative movement. This is a man who really does know his principles,” Ryan said.
After the speech, Jansen headed to a section of the line, near an exit, surrounded by reporters. Jansen said he wanted to ask Ryan for some more specifics about why he was supporting Trump. But Ryan passed by without taking questions from him or reporters.
Jansen walked back and talked with Marc Scaringi, a Trump supporter and attorney from Cumberland County.
“What a horrible speech,” Scaringi said to Jansen.
State Rep. Judy Ward, a delegate for the Ninth Congressional District, which includes all of Franklin County, said she liked Ryan’s message and energy. She was OK with what Ryan said and how much he said about Trump.
“He wasn’t over the top, but he was supportive,” Ward said.
This story comes to us through a partnership between WITF and the York Daily Record.
The Purple Buck Newsletter
Get insights into WITF’s newsroom and an invitation to join in the pursuit of trustworthy journalism.
