By Nicholas K. Geranios
The Associated Press
CLEVELAND — After failing to place Ted Cruz into nomination as the GOP presidential candidate, members of the Washington state delegation must now decide if they will vote for Donald Trump in November.
Delegate Jennifer Fetters said she was still deciding whether to support the businessman.
“I’m not a Trump fan,” she said Wednesday.
Delegate Eric Minor said his mind was already made up.
“I will not be voting for Trump in November,” he said at the convention in Cleveland.
Members of the Washington state delegation visited with Cruz on Wednesday at a rally attended by some 900 delegates, donors, GOP officials and supporters.
‘Thank you’ event
The event was billed as a “thank you” for supporters of the Texas senator.
Cruz barely mentioned Trump in his remarks.
“Our party now has a nominee,” Cruz said, laughing as Trump’s personal plane flew overhead.
It was unclear whether Cruz would endorse Trump when the senator spoke to the convention Wednesday night.
Minor said he would prefer that Cruz withhold his support.
“The convention has destroyed unity,” said Minor, who was heavily involved in the failed effort to put Cruz into nomination.
Delegate Joel Mattila disagreed, asserting that Trump was unifying the party.
“Our party is coming together and we are unifying behind our nominee,” he said. “There is a lot of unity in our delegation.”
One Washington delegate has remained deeply tied to Trump.
State Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, is part of Trump’s campaign team and has been staying at the same downtown hotel where Trump and other top advisers are stationed, The Seattle Times reported.
Benton has helped count delegate votes and tamp down a mini-rebellion over convention rules, the newspaper said.
