Excuses, excuses: Why lawmakers say they’re skipping GOP convention

Many high-profile — and not so high-profile — Republicans have said they’re skipping the GOP National Convention in Cleveland this coming week.

Some excuses are a bit more creative than others as to why they won't attend the convention that would see the controversial and flamboyant billionaire Donald Trump officially become the party's presidential nominee.

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Neither one of Arizona’s U.S. Senators will attend the convention. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., says he’s “in a very tough re-election campaign.” He’s running against U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz.

The state’s junior senator, Sen. Jeff Flake, said, “I’ve got to mow my lawn.”

Then there’s Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, who said, “I’ll have my fly rod in my hand with my wife in Montana.”

Most Republicans aren’t giving excuses, just saying they aren’t planning to attend and keeping their justification close to the vest.

Locally, State Sen. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, resigned as a convention delegate for Warren County rather than support Trump.

But the most creative, and biting, excuses comes from U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. By way of a spokesman, he “will instead take his kids to watch some dumpster fires across the state, all of which enjoy more popularity than the current front-runners.”

Michigan Congressman Fred Upton told reporters he has “a longstanding appointment downtown” and Illinois U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk on a radio program on WGN this past spring, “I’ve got to really do my hair that week. Make sure that my hair is just perfect.”

Former presidential candidate Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-South Carolina, has been quoted of saying, “I’m sure it will be entertaining … and I can watch it on TV.”

But Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan probably has a similar sentiment many other non-attending Republicans have. In a New York Times interview earlier this spring, he is quoted as saying, “I don’t want to be involved. It’s a mess. I hate the whole thing.”

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