Solid-blue D.C. gets a none-too-shabby floor position at the Republican National Convention. (Photo by Patrick Mara)
The Republican National Convention takes place this week in Tampa, Fla. Patrick Mara is a delegate to the convention representing the District of Columbia, and an elected member of the D.C. State Board of Education. With the convention’s first day mostly canceled due to the approaching Tropical Storm Isaac, Mara had some more time to explore the host city. His first entry is here.
Monday in Tampa brought lots of scheduling changes and a bit more rain. At 2 p.m., the convention formally convened, only to be gaveled shut for the day a few minutes later. That left attendees with the whole day to participate in a variety of informal events.
I took a tour of the C-Span bus parked outside our hotel. Visiting C-Span’s bus is about as exciting as watching C-Span.
I also had the opportunity to speak with former Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.). We discussed various issues impacting D.C., including education. Castle is a really good guy and it is a shame he was knocked out during the GOP primary in 2010. He was a big supporter of the District.
The D.C. delegation had lunch at the Tampa Club. The dining room offered a very nice view of the waterfront where we were uniquely situated to receive news of a tornado warning.
Following lunch, we walked back over to the Tampa Bay Times Forum. The walk is a long, long, long journey through several security zones. Lots of police kettles and barbed wire. I passed at least 100 police and military types.
But despite our small size and the certainty that Mitt Romney will not win the District’s three electoral votes this year, D.C.’s delegates have pretty decent floor seating. Puerto Rico and Maryland have better.
I got a backstage tour from Republican National Committee Treasurer Tony Parker and former Ambassador Tom Korologos, both of whom are fellow D.C. delegates. Korologos has run conventions in the past. He knew everyone backstage. Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be any kind of champagne room, but it was cool seeing how these things come together behind the scenes.
In the afternoon, the Log Cabin Republicans held a nice event on the water on Tampa Bay. Officials from DC Vote and I distributed D.C.-specific literature. I also gave an interview to the public-radio program The Takeaway talking about my support for marriage equality.
The best event of the day was “Nuestra Noche” in Ybor city. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and Tagg Romney appeared; Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush were no-shows. I wrote this after downing cocktails there.
Correction: Due to an editing error, this post originally reported that Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) did not attend the “Nuestra Noche” event. A spokeswoman for the American Conservative Union, which sponsored the party, tells DCist Rubio arrived about 11 p.m.
Patrick Mara is a delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. and an elected member of the D.C. State Board of Education.
