Delegates at the Republican National Convention nominated Mitt Romney as the GOP candidate for the White House moments ago in Tampa.
Romney received 2,061 votes. Two-hundred-and-two votes were listed as “others” — six for former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), one for former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, one for former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, one for Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), one “undecided,” one “uncommitted,” and the rest for Texas Rep. Ron Paul. There were also several abstentions.
The 2012 GOP platform was also adopted after some delegates loudly protested the refusal to seat 10 Ron Paul supporters in the Maine delegation.
Paul delegates from Nevada and Maine led the fight against a GOP convention rules change that delegates must vote for the candidate who won the state primary or be stripped of their delegate spot.
A Texas contingent was among those who loudly protested adoption of the rules as other delegates tried to drown them out with shouts of “USA.” Paul supporters chanted “point of order.”
A clearly perturbed chairman Reince Priebus tried to gavel the proceedings along. After the rules adoption, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) offered the GOP platform for adoption.
“We Republicans believe in this great country… we know that our people are our greatest natural resource,” Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) said of the platform. “Job creation must be job No. 1 … what Americans want is what America has always offered in abundance – opportunity.”
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said that thanks to the platform, “the GOP will be known as the ‘great opportunity party.'”
Former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu (R) offered the nomination for Romney as president. It was seconded by Barbara Comstock, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates.
Blue “Mitt!” signs were fed onto the convention floor in time for the roll call vote. New Jersey put Romney over the top in clinching the nomination.
Only the Romney votes were announced, drawing protest shouts from Paul supporters after each gain for the congressman.
The Roemer, Huntsman, and Bachmann votes all came from the Texas delegation, as well as 20 votes for “fellow Texan and defender of liberty” Paul. Another electoral giant, California, ceded no votes to other candidates.
Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan was nominated as the vice presidential candidate by voice vote.
More: Walker at RNC: ‘Let This Be Our Time in History’ and Former Dem Artur Davis to RNC: ‘Thank You for Welcoming Me Where I Belong’
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