Trump’s home state of New York put him over the top.
AB Wire
Donald Trump was formally nominated as the Republican presidential candidate Tuesday night in Cleveland.
Trump secured the 1,237 delegate votes needed to become the Republican nominee at 7.12 pm Eastern time, with votes cast by delegated from his home state of New York.
Trump’s son Donald J. Trump Jr. announced the majority of the state’s delegation for his father.
“Speaking to real Americans, giving them a voice again, and it is my honor to be able to throw Donald Trump over the top in the delegate count tonight, Congratulations, Dad, we love you!†he said.
Then, a band played Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York,†with the jumbotron in the Quicken Loans Arena displaying the words ‘Over the Top’ and the convention broke into applause.
“Such a great honor to be the Republican Nominee for President of the United States. I will work hard and never let you down! AMERICA FIRST!†Trump wrote in a message to his nearly 10 million Twitter followers.
He is set to formally accept the nomination in a speech on the final night of the convention Thursday.
Trump faced much opposition inside and outside the party for calling for a temporary ban on Muslim immigration, for inflammatory comments about ethnic minorities and women, and for complaints that he’s unqualified for the job. Anti-Trump forces tried to change party rules to allow delegates to vote their consciences regardless of how their state voted, but fell far short of that goal.
The Candidature of Donald Trump, who was a real estate developer, reality-TV star with no political experience, is a land mark in American political history and had a message that defied GOP tradition on trade.
Social Media Updates:
Such a great honor to be the Republican Nominee for President of the United States. I will work hard and never let you down! AMERICA FIRST!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTj_uc9X4Vw