Benton solidly for Trump; state delegates divided

SPOKANE — After failing to place Ted Cruz into nomination as the GOP presidential candidate, members of the Washington state delegation must now decide if they will vote for Donald Trump in November.

Delegate Jennifer Fetters said she was still deciding whether to support the businessman.

“I’m not a Trump fan,” she said Wednesday.

One Washington politician has remained deeply tied to Trump.

State Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, is part of Trump’s campaign team and has been staying at the same downtown hotel where Trump and other top advisers are stationed, The Seattle Times reported.

Benton has helped count delegate votes and tamp down a mini-rebellion over convention rules, the newspaper said.

Delegate Eric Minor said his mind was already made up.

“I will not be voting for Trump in November,” he said at the convention in Cleveland.

Members of the Washington delegation visited with Cruz on Wednesday at a rally attended by some 900 delegates, donors, GOP officials and supporters. The event was billed as a “thank you” for supporters of the Texas senator.

Cruz barely mentioned Trump in his remarks.

“Our party now has a nominee,” Cruz said, laughing as Trump’s personal plane flew overhead.

On Wednesday night, when Cruz spoke to the convention he did not endorse Trump.

Minor said his preference was for Cruz to withhold his support.

“The convention has destroyed unity,” said Minor, who was heavily involved in the failed effort to put Cruz into nomination.

Delegate Joel Mattila of Vancouver disagreed, saying Trump was unifying the party.

“Our party is coming together and we are unifying behind our nominee,” he said. “There is a lot of unity in our delegation.”