Iowa delegates at the Republican National Convention are leaving Cleveland today (Friday) in a mostly unified front, touting Donald Trump. Iowa delegate Jake Chapman, a state senator from Adel, says you “cannot discredit” what Trump has been able to do in his business life — and during in this campaign. “As the convention has gone along, as we’ve heard more speeches, there is definitely a unity coalescing,” Chapman says. Iowa delegate Robert Cramer, a businessman from Grimes, is on the board of directors for The Family Leader, a Christian conservative group. Cramer says picking Indiana Governor Mike Pence as the V-P nominee shows Trump not only wants to win, he wants to govern.

“He’s just a really solid, Christian guy who is humble leader and wants to do the right thing,” Cramer says, “and so I think he will be really good for Trump.” Bill Anderson, a state senator from Pierson, says Pence will “definitely” appeal to the party’s evangelical voters. “We’re building a positive message for November and that’s what I came here to do, that’s what I’ve been talking to my constituents about,” Anderson says. “Obviously, I didn’t support Mr. Trump during the Caucuses, but at the end of the day we have a process and this is the fulfillment of that process.”

Gregg Cummings of Lamoni, an alternate delegate at the convention, says Trump’s pick of Pence shows he’ll surround himself with good people. “Hopefully he’ll open the bag further and spill the beans on the rest of his cabinet,” Cummings says. “…If he does that, I think we will see a stronger, unified party.” Greg Heartsill, a state representative from Columbia, says the stakes are high in other races, too, as Republicans hope to keep a majority of seats in the U.S. House and Senate — and win statehouse races around the country.

“We can’t afford for folks to stay home because their candidate didn’t make it,” Heartsill says. First-time national delegate Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa says the convention experience does “motivate and inspirate” the delegates to dig in back home. “I think there’s a lot of enthusiasm and support for getting Donald Trump and Mike Pence elected as president and vice president this coming fall,” Miller-Meeks says. Cheryl Kramer of Dubuque was among the Iowa G-O-P’s guests in Cleveland, attending her eighth national convention. She has volunteered to work on the Trump campaign.

“I was with him nearly from the beginning,” Kramer says. “I’m very motivated anyway. Politics has been a part of my life. I first worked for Ronald Reagan’s campaign in 1966 in California. That’s what first got me going, so it’s 50 years this year.” Iowa delegate Amy Christen of Davenport supported Jeb Bush in the Iowa Caucuses and “cannot stand” Hillary Clinton. She’s offering this advice to Iowans who’ve told her they are upset with both Clinton and Trump:

“Don’t do the stay-home protest. Go and vote. Vote for the least worst alternative or, if you need to, vote Libertarian,” Christen says, “or write in — as long as it’s not Daffy Duck.” Christen says that will show party leaders that voters won’t “just stay home” because they’re faced with two unlikeable candidates. Democrats will gather next week in Philadelphia for their party’s national convention.

(Radio Iowa)