The list of speakers for the Republican National Convention features an eclectic mix that includes members of Donald Trump’s family, current and former Republican leaders, and business and faith leaders, according to a partial list released Thursday.
Donald Trump’s wife, Melania, and his adult children Eric, Ivanka, Donald Jr. and Tiffany are all slated to speak.
Former 2016 GOP presidential candidates on the list include Sen. Ted Cruz, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.
Also on the list are people who have been mentioned as possible vice presidential picks for Mr. Trump, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, another former 2016 GOP rival; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich; Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama; and retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.
The convention’s theme will be “Make America Great Again” — Mr. Trump’s slogan — and will focus on “the core themes of Republican Presidential Nominee Donald J. Trump’s campaign: national security, immigration, trade and jobs,” according to a convention press release.
Congressional leadership will be represented in House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
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Other Republican senators on the list include Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Joni Ernst of Iowa and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia.
From the House side, Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, Rep. Sean Duffy of Wisconsin, Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana, Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Rep. Chris Collins of New York are slated to speak. Mr. Collins was the first sitting member of Congress to endorse Mr. Trump.
Other Republican elected leaders include Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge.
Mark Geist and John Tiegen, who were on the ground during the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, are slated to speak, as is retired U.S. Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell.
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Milwaukee County, Wisc. Sheriff David Clarke are also on the list, as is Darryl Glenn, a Republican U.S. Senate hopeful in Colorado.
The faith community is represented in Pastor Mark Burns, Jerry Falwell Jr., the president of Liberty University, and Rabbi Haskel Lookstein.
And from the business community, Phil Ruffin, Tom Barrack and Peter Thiel are on the list.
Golfer Natalie Gulbis, retired astronaut Eileen Collins and Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White are also slated to speak.
Eric Trump mentioned Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow’s name on Fox Business Network Thursday.
But Mr. Tebow’s name was not included on the partial list released by organizers, and Mr. Tebow said in a video posted online later Thursday that talk of him speaking at the convention was a “rumor.”
The list of names who won’t be attending the convention at all has attracted significant attention as well, as Mr. Trump works to unify the GOP heading into the general election contest in the fall.
The two living Republican former presidents, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, are not scheduled to attend, nor is former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, another former presidential rival of Mr. Trump.
Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP nominee and an outspoken critic of Mr. Trump, is not scheduled to attend, nor is Sen. John McCain, the party’s 2008 nominee who is running for re-election this year.
Several other Republican senators running for re-election are steering clear, including Mark Kirk of Illinois, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and Sen. Marco Rubio, another former presidential rival of Mr. Trump.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich, another former 2016 contender, is scheduled to be in Cleveland as the convention is going on. But he has refused to support Mr. Trump and won’t necessarily attend the actual convention.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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