Tennessee GOP convention delegates say Trump needs to bring party together

In this photo taken July 11, 2016, Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump answers a question during an interview in Virginia Beach, Va. Americans have mixed feelings on which presidential candidate will do better on key issues like health care, trade, the economy and terrorism. But when they simply consider whether they personally would be better off, they prefer Hillary Clinton. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) In this photo taken July 11, 2016, Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump answers a question during an interview in Virginia Beach, Va. Americans have mixed feelings on which presidential candidate will do better on key issues like health care, trade, the economy and terrorism. But when they simply consider whether they personally would be better off, they prefer Hillary Clinton. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

By Andy Sher July 18, 2016 4 min read

NASHVILLE – Tennessee delegates to the Republican National Convention say they are counting on expected presidential nominee Donald Trump to bring the fractured party together.

The four-day event gets underway today in Cleveland, Ohio.

“Trump needs to unify the party and the selection of Gov. [Mike] Pence helps move the party in that direction,” said former Knoxville Mayor Victor Ashe, a Marco Rubio alternate delegate. Trump announced the selection of Pence, Indiana’s governor and a staunch conservative and former congressman, as his running mate last week.

Ashe, who sat on the convention’s Platform Committee, acknowledged “there are concerns” with Trump and said “he must comport himself in a way to make it easy for Republicans to come together, as most will.”

Delegates from Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama began streaming into Cleveland over the weekend. Trump carried all three states in the March 1 primary.