Republican National Convention

Behind party lines: what it means to be a Republican

by Jeff Horwich, Minnesota Public Radio,
Stephanie Curtis, Minnesota Public Radio,
Michael Caputo, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — Delegates joined in St. Paul to mingle, to party and to hear from Republican luminaries. And, of course, they nominated a GOP ticket for the White House.

Many paid their own way to be a Republican delegate. Why?

What motivates them to not only be active in politics, but to ally themselves with a political party.

Who are these people that would take time out of their lives, time away from work and, often, their families to rally around the Republican Party banner?

Minnesota Public Radio news, along with with partner public broadcasting stations in Oregon and North Carolina, assembled a dozen Republican delegates and volunteers from around the nation and asked them to get beyond the canned answers and speeches to tell us why they hold their political allegiances.

Delegates from places like Oregon, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Alabama, Louisiana and Minnesota talked, in a personal way about what shaped their beliefs.