(The Center Square) – His room was already sold.
The sale was to those on the outside, on the fence, and still unsure who to vote for while the Republican National Convention wrapped up its fourth night with a final familiar theme: Make America Great Again. Former President Donald Trump, said U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, is the choice against incumbent Democratic President Joe Biden.
Hudson, North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District representative and chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, appealed to voters with a message delegates fully embrace. He spoke of the military, of overall strength against weakness between candidates, and of how important majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate enable the president to get policy to the finish line.
“Together, a Republican House and President Donald Trump will preserve the historic Trump tax cuts, and eliminate taxes on tips,” Hudson said as he wound down. “Together, a Republican House and President Donald Trump will fund the police. We will rebuild our military. We will stand up to Communist China. And ladies and gentlemen, we will finish the wall.”
His encouragement came early in the evening Trump, five days beyond surviving an assassination attempt, would give his acceptance speech for the party’s nomination. It began the final night of themes – previous were Make America Wealthy Again, Make America Safe Again, and Make America Strong Once Again – that brought a flood of passion to Fiserv Forum Arena, home of the NBA’s Bucks in Milwaukee, Wis.
Hudson, whose job as national chairman is to grow the House majority, represents an area of the state that includes the world’s largest military base, formerly Fort Bragg and under the Biden administration changed to Fort Liberty. He was having none of it, referring as many in the region do to the home of the Airborne and Special Forces by its original name.
“They deserve a commander-in-chief who respects them, and honors their service,” Hudson said. “Ladies and gentleman, Donald Trump is that commander-in-chief.”
He took aim at the Democrats as the party to stand with flag-burning protestors, and said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris stand with them.
“Extreme Democrats? They’ll burn it in the streets and on college campuses,” Hudson said of the American flag. “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris stand with those flag burners, because they want to rule over you. But House Republicans – we stand with President Trump. We stand for America, and we stand up for the flag.
“House Republicans understand. We don’t rule over you; we work for you.”
He made a plea “for backup,” a reference to Democrats having a majority in the Senate and the seat in the Oval Office. For two years, it has stopped work done in the House to protect the border; increase domestic energy production while lowering costs; remove “woke indoctrination from our military”; the Parents Bill of Rights; and, he said, “We impeached Biden’s failed border chief, Alejandro Mayorkas.”
All went nowhere.
“To save America, we need to grow our majority, and we need President Donald Trump back in the White House,” Hudson said.
Hudson capped an eventful week for the state at the convention. On Monday, gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson got a speaking position, and Wednesday the fraternity brothers at the University of North Carolina who helped rescue the American flag from protestors were in a segment.
The convention is presided over by the national chairman, former state Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley. His co-chairwoman is Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, born and raised in Wilmington and graduate of the same high school – Laney – as is basketball icon Michael Jordan.
“A House majority,” Hudson said, “will make Donald Trump’s second term even more successful than his first.”
