Trump unites former rivals Haley, DeSantis at Republican Convention

In a remarkable show of unity, former rivals Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis joined forces to endorse Donald Trump’s candidacy at the Republican convention. This display of support comes just days after Trump survived an assassination attempt, further solidifying his position within the party.

Haley, who had previously criticized Trump during her own presidential campaign, took the stage to a mix of cheers and boos as she urged her supporters to vote for him for the sake of the nation. She emphasized that one does not have to agree with Trump on everything to support his candidacy, speaking from personal experience.

DeSantis, the conservative governor of Florida, received a warm welcome from the crowd as he criticized Democratic President Joe Biden for being too old for the job. Despite the bandage on his right ear from the assassination attempt, Trump watched from his box in the arena, accompanied by running mate J.D. Vance, who will headline the convention’s third night.

The purpose of this show of harmony was to contrast with the Democratic party, which has been dealing with internal tensions regarding Biden’s performance in the June 27 debate against Trump. The speeches at the convention, centered around the theme of law and order, were filled with Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric, with speakers strongly denouncing Biden’s southern border policies.

Several high-profile Republican figures, including Kari Lake, Bernie Moreno, Ted Cruz, and Tom Cotton, referred to the flow of migrants as an “invasion.” It is important to note that while border crossings reached record highs during Biden’s tenure, arrests dropped significantly in June after the president implemented a broad asylum ban.

The convention also featured the emotional testimonies of Anne Fundner, whose son died from fentanyl poisoning, and the family of Rachel Morin, a woman who was raped and killed by a Salvadoran immigrant who had crossed the border multiple times. Both held Biden’s policies responsible for these tragedies. Trump has consistently used these cases to demonize migrants, despite studies showing that immigrants do not commit crime at a higher rate than native-born Americans.

Interestingly, some of the heated attacks contradicted Trump’s promise of national unity following the assassination attempt. However, Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law and co-chair of the Republican National Committee, closed the night with a shift in tone, emphasizing that there is more that unites Americans than divides them.

Despite the attempt on his life and the convention’s focus on unity, voter fears about the deep polarization in the country seem to have only intensified. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 80% of voters, including both Republicans and Democrats, believe that the country is spiraling out of control.