So, with their party's movers, shakers and, most important, donors all gathered on their home turf, potential candidates took the opportunity to strut their stuff, holding breakfasts, speaking before delegate groups and building their bank accounts.
A delegates' group led by President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi of Italy inaugurated today an anti-mafia documentary center in Corleone, the home of one of Sicily's bloodiest crime families that gave its name to Mario Puzo's clan in the "Godfather" movies.
Lamont did an update for the DCRI delegates group to show them new features like Profile Manager.
Free the Delegates leader Kendal Unruh originally hoped to win over the majority of that 112-delegate group to pass a rule allowing the delegates to ignore how their states voted and vote according to their consciences.
Leaders of the Free the Delegates group needed 28 votes of the 112-member Convention Rules Committee to force the full Republican National Convention to consider their "conscience clause".
Grassroots delegates groups including the youth group FFS and the leftwing groups Another Europe is Possible and Labour for a People's Vote held briefing meetings, to agree their stance.
New Hampshire delegate Gordon Humphrey, who has been working with the Delegates Unbound and Free the Delegates groups, tried to force party leaders on Monday to approve their rules for the convention on a roll-call vote, rather than a voice vote as is normally done.
The vote followed weeks of a publicity campaign and lobbying effort by Unruh's Free the Delegates and the supporting Delegates Unbound group.
A plan to allow convention delegates to vote however they want, rather than follow the results of their state's primary, has earned the support of hundreds of delegates upset by Trump's impending nomination, according to Free the Delegates, the group pushing for the change.
