Governor Sanders, Sen. Cotton speak to RNC on Tuesday

On a night dedicated to law and order and toughness on crime, Republican convention-goers heard from a plethora of 2020 and 2024 Presidential candidates and two high-profile Arkansas politicians mentioned as future candidates for higher office.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, former United Nations Ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former U.S. Housing Secretary Ben Carson, and Vivek Ramaswamy all took the stage to unite behind the Republican Presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump.

Carson was one of the few speakers to reference Trump’s recent convictions in New York on a case under appeal involving hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Carson also noted the dismissal of a Florida special counsel case involving Trump’s handling of classified documents.

Describing Trump as persecuted by a variety of political enemies, “he’s freer today than he’s ever been,” Carson said.

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., spoke briefly at the convention pushing the Trump agenda to crack down on illegal immigration.

“Joe Biden thinks borders are racist,” Cotton said. “Donald Trump will secure our borders.”

Cotton told a story about an immigrant who recently became a lawful American citizen. He said the man told him he was voting for Trump for president because he was good for the economy.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, who served as Trump’s press secretary, gave a 13-minute primetime speech to the country. Sanders, whose evangelical connections have long served her family and Trump in political circles, credited God with protecting Trump from last weekend’s assassination attempt.

“God spared President Trump from that assassin because God is not finished with him yet,” Sanders said. “And he most certainly is not finished with America yet either.”

“President Trump is a leader, and he’s the leader our country needs. And if there was ever a doubt, earlier this week we saw just how tough, courageous, resilient, and daring this man is, and we can’t get him back in the White House fast enough,” she said.

Sanders touted her accomplishments as Arkansas governor, and said she and other GOP governors have been doing what they can to combat the Biden administration’s policies.

“We’ve deployed the National Guard to the border, we’ve cracked down on crime and drugs, we’ve cut taxes to give hard-working Americans a break from Bidenflation. And we empowered parents with universal school choice across the country,” she said.

“I have always been proud to stand with President Trump, but never have I been more proud than to stand with him right now tonight,” Sanders said.