Republicans descended on the Loews Madison Hotel in downtown Washington Saturday in what voters called a “madhouse,” “a disaster,” but also “great news for the Republican Party.”
Voters waited in long lines to cast their presidential ballots. Conference organizers were clearly overwhelmed. As of mid-afternoon Saturday, lines extended far outside the hotel onto K street, two blocks away.
One voter, who appeared to be only halfway though the line, said she had already been in line for two hours.
Joshua Bolten, former White House chief of staff to President George W. Bush, said he had “never seen anything like it, at least in D.C.”
Bolten was there in his capacity as a “#NeverTrump” organizer.
Bolten credited Trump with the surge in turnout, but said he suspected “even more people are here to stop Trump, so that’s what you’re seeing.”
Bolten said the day on the whole was “great for the Republican Party.”
(Curt Mills/Washington Examiner)
D.C.’s convention awards 19 delegates in the presidential race. The city of around 650,000 votes overwhelmingly Democratic. But Republicans, many who work in politics or lobbying, make up a politically sophisticated and highly interested minority group.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich, businessman Donald Trump, and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., all appeared well represented among voters. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, had a presence, but seemed to have the fewest staffers and volunteers of the four campaigns.
Despite online claims that Trump had few volunteers at the convention, by early afternoon, a large group of pro-Trump volunteers, staffers and people manning booths near polling sites, were on hand to back Trump. Trump’s support in general seemed to be strong, perhaps throwing into question Bolten’s assessment that this was primarily an anti-Trump surge in the vote.
In a Washington Examiner survey of voters, most declined to comment, with many explaining they work in politics and cannot publicly speak on the subject.
A voter named Richard, who declined to give his last name, said he was “happily” voting for Trump .
“He’s got the best chance,” Richard said. “I’m a member of the ABC: Anybody But Clinton.”
Richard said Rubio was his second choice.
Straw poll results from March 5 were hung on the wall outside a polling site. The poll found Trump winning with 31 percent, Rubio in second at 28 percent, and Cruz in third at 16 percent. Kasich came in fourth at 14 percent. Ben Carson, who has since dropped out, had 5 percent.
Lonnie echoed Richard’s sentiments, saying she was also for Trump. Lonnie also levied the criticism that organizers had failed to prepare “accommodations and refreshments for elderly people.”
Lonnie said if she could not vote for Donald Trump, she “would look at the Democratic Party.”
Jeremy said he was for John Kasich, however. He cited that he had “the most experience” and that he was the “least likely to embarrass us.” Jeremy also said his second choice was Rubio.
Both Jeremy and Lonnie also declined to give their full names.
When asked who he thought would win the nomination though, Jeremy said, “It’s going to be Trump-Clinton.”
According to the D.C. GOP’s website, any eligible voter can participate as long as they were a registered Republican by Jan. 1, 2016.
