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Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is expected to address Ohio delegates at next week’s Republican National Convention
Speaker of the House expected to be at July 20 breakfast
CLEVELAND
Ohio delegates to next week’s Republican National Convention are slated to hear from Speaker of the House Paul Ryan at one of their daily breakfast meetings.
Ryan, who was also the party’s failed 2012 vice presidential candidate, is scheduled to speak to the delegation at its July 20 breakfast at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in downtown Cleveland, according to a draft schedule obtained by The Vindicator.
Several members of the Ohio Republican delegation are staying at the DoubleTree during the convention, next Monday through July 21, with some afternoon and evening events Sunday, the day before the official event starts.
Ohio Republican officials said the guest speakers for the breakfast meetings – and some of the pre-session delegation events – are not set in stone, and the official schedule is expected to be done today.
The draft schedule has U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas speaking at the Monday breakfast with Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, who is considering a second run for the Senate in 2018.
Cotton received praise on July 4 from Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, on Twitter. Numerous media outlets – including CNN and USA Today – said after the tweet that Cotton is on Trump’s short list for vice-presidential running mates.
Trump tweeted: “Senator Tom Cotton was great on ‘Meet the Press’ yesterday. Despite a totally one-sided interview by Chuck Todd, the end result was solid!”
On Tuesday, the breakfast features U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Marietta, R-6th, along with Frank Luntz, according to the draft schedule.
Luntz is a Republican political consultant and pollster as well as a contributor and analyst for Fox News and CBS News and runs focus groups for the networks.
Ryan is to speak Wednesday along with U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-12th, of Genoa Township, according to the draft schedule. Tiberi is interested in running for the Senate in 2018.
Thursday’s breakfast features Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor. The draft schedule doesn’t include a national speaker.
The draft schedule has ex-Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who unsuccessfully ran for president in 2012 and this year, speaking at the “Chairman’s Circle Lunch” on Tuesday.
Events confirmed by the Ohio Republican Party include a Tuesday reception at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honoring Gov. John Kasich and a Wednesday event featuring U.S. Sen. Rob Portman at the Cleveland Science Center.
Kasich, who unsuccessfully ran for president this year and hasn’t endorsed Trump, says he has no plans to attend the convention in his home state.
Portman, who supports Trump, has a busy schedule of events in Cleveland.
In addition to the science center event, Portman will spend Monday helping build a house for a Cleveland family in need as part of a Habitat for Humanity project and will host a volunteer appreciation dinner.
He will kayak Tuesday on the Cuyahoga River as part of a Team River Runner event to raise money and awareness for the organization that helps create an environment of healthy adventure for healing active-duty service members and veterans.
Also, the state Controlling Board agreed Monday to increase spending authority for the Ohio Department of Public Safety by more than $4 million, in part to cover the costs of assistance to be provided by the Ohio State Highway Patrol during next week’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
The affected fund is used for “off-highway criminal investigations, dignitary protection, assistance to agencies during civil unrest and security at state owned and/or leased facilities,” according to documents.
Lt. Robert Sellers, a spokesman for the OSHP, declined to offer specifics on the number of troopers who may help out during the convention but did say that they “will be used to supplement and support the Cleveland Police Department to maintain a safe environment.”