Mich. delegation irked, then relieved by GOP roll call vote

CLEVELAND — Michigan’s Republican delegation got shoved to the end of the list of roll call votes so that the state of New York could cast the votes that put New York businessman Donald Trump over the top, winning the party’s nomination for president.

But Michigan GOP Chairman Ronna Romney McDaniel was not happy about it.

McDaniel — who is the 2012 nominee Mitt Romney’s niece — was clearly upset after Michigan passed and no other state had apparently been asked to do so, at one point telling a floor whip for the convention, “it feels like a Romney thing.” Mitt Romney, a Michigan native, has pointedly refused to endorse Trump but Romney McDaniel is a Trump delegate.

She told reporters a few minutes later that she was mistaken to suggest that, learning that other states had been asked to pass for New York’s sake as well, but no others would go along with it.

“It just ended up we were the team player,” she said. “If I knew then what I do now, I wouldn’t have passed either.”

Trump’s son cast the state of New York’s votes for his dad, putting the candidate over the top. But Michigan eventually got its chance, casting 51 votes for Trump, 6 for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and 2 for Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

McDaniel said she was sorry she reacted as she did with reporters around, saying it was just disappointment talking when it looked to her that Michigan was being singled out.

“I was just too nice for my own good,” she said. “I was really disappointed. It was more of a mom, family, Michigan moment.”

When Michigan did get its chance to read its votes for the roll call, however, Romney McDaniel, introducing herself, made sure to accentuate her last name.

Todd Spangler and Kathleen Gray write for the Detroit Free Press. Follow them on Twitter: @tsspangler and @michpoligal