The #StopTrump movement has come to an end. On Thursday night, the RNC rules committee voted down an effort to unbind the delegates allowing them to vote against Donald Trump and ending a last-ditch effort to deny him the nomination.
Efforts led by Colorado delegate Kendal Unruh to have a conscience clause was defeated overwhelmingly in a voice vote, according to Molly Ball of The Atlantic.
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The conscience clause is defeated on a voice vote, & a request for vote count is denied by the chair.
— Molly Ball (@mollyesque) July 15, 2016
Politico’s Kyle Cheney reported on his Twitter that Unruh only had 12 votes for the conscience clause, far below the 28 needed for the last ditch effort to succeed.
Anti-Trump convention effort is over. only 12 opponents of binding on Rules Committee — needed 28 to force it to the floor.
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) July 15, 2016
Even Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) attempted to stand up and argue for the clause, but was denied by the chair. “This angst isn’t going to go away because we paper over it with rules,” Lee said during the heated debate.
Wow, Mike Lee stands to argue that Trump campaign is silencing delegates. “This angst isn’t going to go away bc we paper over it w rules.”
— Molly Ball (@mollyesque) July 15, 2016
Trump’s campaign team celebrated the news. Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign chairman, announced on Twitter that the will of the people would be done.
Anti-Trump people get crushed at Rules Committee. It was never in doubt: Convention will honor will of people & nominate @realdonaldtrump.
— Paul Manafort (@PaulManafort) July 15, 2016
It is the end of what has been a series of miserable defeats for anti-Trump forces within the GOP, from more than 50 primary contests, to a campaign to find an alternative third party candidate, and now the failed conscience clause.
During this election cycle, Trump beat the establishment Republicans, the conservative movement, 16 presidential candidates, the Pope, and a Supreme Court Justice; the only person left is Hillary Clinton.
