Utah delegates react to RNC vote switch from Cruz to Trump | KUTV

Cleveland —

(KUTV) The last-minute rules changed from the Republican National Committee at Tuesday night's roll call hearing in Cleveland turned a quiet Utah delegation into a confused crowd where pandemonium ensued. All 40 delegates, as counted by the national party, went to Donald Trump from a state where he didn't win the popular vote after Utah pledged votes Tuesday to Ted Cruz.

Utah delegation party leader Phil Wright had the microphone on the floor of the convention "according to the votes of the great state of Utah, we passed all 40 of our delegates to the gentleman who won our state, Ted Cruz."

After days of tumult and insider fights over voting your conscience, Utah delegates breathed a sigh of relief as a crush of national reporters pressed in for the final shot of Utah's Never Trump stand.

"Utah 40 votes trump."

With four simple words came silence and then boos as Utah delegates processed what happened. As the delegates expressed their anger, Utah Republican Party Chair James Evans made a cut sign at his throat. He was trying to tell his delegation to keep quiet. He knew the switcheroo was coming but said, "we didn't get a chance to communicate that."

Chris Herrod, a Utah delegate, was heard shouting, "you knew about this before."

Once the crowd quieted, Herrod explained his anger.

"We didn't find out until just right there that our votes would not go to Ted Cruz. It makes it harder for us to coalesce."

Everyone was trying to make sense of how Utah's bound delegates were unbound before their eyes.

"To find out at the last minute, we couldn't even represent our own state and Trump will be the nominee, but we can't be represented, it is unfortunate."

Gov. Gary Herbert, who was given a heads up just before the announcement came said, "I think there was a little surprise they didnt' know what was going to happen. I'd heard 45 minutes ago."

First-time delegate Kera Birkeland, from Morgan County, was crushed. It was a slap in the face coming just 24 hours after she'd been threatened with her life in an arena bathroom.

Tuesday she will leave her seat as delegate disappointed, but ready to keep fighting for what she believes in tomorrow.

"We will move on, it is what we do as Republicans -- rally on."

http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-delegates-react-to-rnc-vote-switch-from-cruz-to-trump