Utah Rep. Mia Love joined the ranks of Republican leaders and lawmakers who will be skipping their party’s convention next month, saying that she would instead visit Israel with a congressional delegation.
Love, who has long been viewed as a rising star inside a party seeking more diversity, was given a prime-time speaking slot at the 2012 Republican Convention. But The Salt Lake Tribune reported that she would instead visit Israel with other lawmakers and campaign for re-election during the convention next month.
“I don’t see any upsides to it,” Love said Friday, according to the Tribune. “I don’t see how this benefits the state.”
Love, who will also give up her seat as a delegate, joins the ranks of Republican lawmakers and former GOP nominees who are flatly skipping the convention. But she did not say Friday whether she was skipping it because of Donald Trump, nor has she said if she will vote for him in November.
CNN calls to Love’s campaign office and district office in Utah were not immediately returned.
Ted Cruz won the Utah caucuses in March with 69% of caucus attendees, and even Ohio Gov. John Kasich edged out the billionaire, winning 17% of the vote compared to Trump’s 14%. And Mitt Romney — one of the most vocal leaders of the “Never Trump” movement, implored supporters in the Mormon-dominated state, to vote against Trump.
