RNC: Trump campaign upset with empty Wisconsin delegate floor seats

Trump campaign officials were upset with the number of empty delegate seats on the floor during Tuesday's convention session, officials with the Wisconsin delegation said Wednesday morning.

"They were mad last night, because it just wasn't us not in their seats, it was a lot of delegations," RNC committee member Tom Schreibel said at Wednesday's Wisconsin delegate breakfast.

Donald Trump's running mate JD Vance will introduce himself to a national audience as he addresses the Republican National Convention. The Ohio senator's headlining address on Wednesday will be his first speech as the Republican vice-presidential nominee. This year's RNC is also the first national convention Vance has attended. He's a relative political unknown who rapidly morphed in recent years from a severe critic to an aggressive defender of Trump. The 39-year-old Vance is the first millennial to join a major-party ticket, and he joins the race as questions about the age of the men at the top of the tickets — 78-year-old Trump and 81-year-old President Joe Biden — have been high on the list of voters' concerns.

"This is a highly produced move that were a part of ... this is for the nation, for us to shine so we have to be in our seats to have this movie pulled off," Schreibel said.

Wisconsin has 41 delegates and 38 alternates in Milwaukee for the four-day convention.

"Last night we had 23 seats open at one point," delegate and former Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman Paul Farrow told delegates. "Now here's the thing, I've got people upstairs who are dying to come down on the floor and we want to make sure we've got the seats full."

The third day of the Republican National Convention has kicked off in Milwaukee with Republicans shifting their focus to issues of national security and foreign policy. Republicans are expected to focus on Democratic President Joe Biden's handling of the ongoing crises in Europe and the Middle East. Former Trump administration officials are also expected to take the stage Wednesday to outline what foreign policy would look like if Donald Trump returns for a second term. JD Vance will introduce himself to a national audience when he delivers his first speech as the Republican vice-presidential nominee.

Farrow urged delegates to remain in their seats for Wednesday night's session, where Vance will speak, or coordinate with an alternate to take an empty seat if they'll be away.

"If you're not there tonight, I'm not letting you have your delegation tag tomorrow," Farrow said. "Tomorrow's the big one and we've got to have it filled out. So I'm going to be the 'A you-know-what,' and that's what's going to happen because we've got to have people there."

"These people are out here to enjoy themselves and support what they believe in. And that's all it is. There's a lot of love."

Trump has appeared at the previous evening's sessions, but isn't expected to take the stage until Thursday.