Tim Tebow, Peter Thiel and precisely zero former Republican presidential nominees — that’s who will reportedly be speaking at the Republican convention next week.
The Republican National Committee has released a list of 62 speakers for next week’s convention, and it is notable both for who is on it and who is not on it. Trump’s convention will have the star power of a famous tech entrepreneur, a former soap opera actor (Antonio Sabato Jr.) and pro football player Tim Tebow, as the New York Times has reported (though Tebow was not included on the RNC’s official list).
However, Trump’s speakers list is not as politician-heavy as the 2012 convention schedule, which mostly featured members of Congress, governors and former politicians as speakers.
The 2016 convention will be Trump-family-heavy — Donald Trump’s wife, Melania, is included as a speaker, as well as four of his children: Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump and Tiffany Trump.
The speakers list also suggests that the nominee does not hew closely to at least one part of the new Republican platform. Tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel, who has in the past identified himself as libertarian, is also gay and supports gay marriage. The RNC platform, drafted this week, defines “natural marriage” as being between a man and a woman.
The list also shows that Trump will have the support of several top Republicans, including Speaker Paul Ryan, as well as several of Trump’s rivals for the nomination, like Sen. Ted Cruz, Gov. Scott Walker and Ben Carson.
But the list is also notable for who is not on it. It does list New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, but it doesn’t list Indiana Gov. Mike Pence — all three of those men are considered to be at the top of Trump’s list of potential running mates. However, it’s unclear whether the list telegraphs anything about whom Trump will choose.
The list also signals the deep divisions that Trump has created in the Republican Party. Neither of the past two Republican nominees, John McCain or Mitt Romney, are listed, nor are the past two Republican presidents, George H.W. and George W. Bush. McCain, the 2008 nominee, spoke at the 2012 convention, and George W. Bush, the departing president, spoke at the 2008 convention.
All four had previously said they would not attend this year’s convention. Bob Dole, the 1996 Republican nominee, is the only former nominee expected to attend (though he is not listed as a speaker).
The RNC characterized its list of 62 names as “partial,” so others could still be added. Below is the list that the RNC sent out:
- Pastor Mark Burns
- Phil Ruffin
- Congressman Ryan Zinke
- Pat Smith
- Mark Geist
- John Tiegen
- Congressman Michael McCaul
- Sheriff David Clarke
- Congressman Sean Duffy
- Darryl Glenn
- Senator Tom Cotton
- Karen Vaughn
- Governor Mike Huckabee
- Mayor Rudy Giuliani
- Melania Trump
- Senator Joni Ernst
- Kathryn Gates-Skipper
- Marcus Luttrell
- Dana White
- Governor Asa Hutchinson
- Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
- Michael Mukasey
- Andy Wist
- Senator Jeff Sessions
- Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn
- Alex Smith
- Speaker Paul Ryan
- Congressman Kevin McCarthy
- Kerry Woolard
- Senator Shelley Moore Capito
- Dr. Ben Carson
- Co-Chair Sharon Day
- Natalie Gulbis
- Kimberlin Brown
- Antonio Sabato Jr.
- Peter Thiel
- Eileen Collins
- Senator Ted Cruz
- Newt Gingrich
- Michelle Van Etten
- Lynne Patton
- Eric Trump
- Harold Hamm
- Congressman Chris Collins
- Brock Mealer
- Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn
- Governor Mary Fallin
- Darrell Scott
- Lisa Shin
- Governor Rick Scott
- Chairman Reince Priebus
- Tom Barrack
- Ivanka Trump
- Attorney General Pam Bondi
- Jerry Falwell Jr.
- Rabbi Haskel Lookstein
- Chris Cox
- Senator Mitch McConnell
- Tiffany Trump
- Governor Chris Christie
- Donald J. Trump Jr.
- Governor Scott Walker
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