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Illinois Republican Seeking To "Dump Trump" Says Movement Is Done For Good

Congressman Kevin McCarthy of California and former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady at the Republican National Convention.
Amanda Vinicky
/
NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS
Congressman Kevin McCarthy of California and former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady at the Republican National Convention.

A key player in the attempt to supplant Donald Trump as the Republican nominee for president says the fight is over for good.

Leading up to the Republican National Convention, Pat Brady was actively working to change the party’s rules, so that someone other than Trump could grab the nomination. Just a few years ago, he was chair of the Illinois GOP; he says Trump isn't a Republican when it comes to the party’s core issues, like free trade, national defense and economics.

"Keep on that on top of the comments he's made about immigrants, Muslims, women, handicapped people, and veterans. So to me he doesn't represent Republican ideals, and you join a political party to unify behind a set of principles that you believe in and you elect people that are going to execute that," Brady said. "I just don't think he's a Republican."

Still, he wanted nothing to do with the brief revolt of “Never Trump” activists Monday at the convention -- their last-ditch attempt to try for a rules change was rebuffed, and some delegates left, causing temporary chaos.

“As much as I’m not thrilled with our nominee, I don’t think it’s a good thing to disturb the convention with things that have no game, or no positive endgame," Brady said, noting that he got off the convention floor just before the minor hoopla (a sort of protest of the protest).

Brady isn’t optimistic about Trump’s chances of becoming the next President, but he says it’s time for the party to move on, and focus on Democrat's "flawed" nominee.

Copyright 2016 NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS

Amanda Vinicky
Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.