2016 National Conventions The 2016 Republican National Convention kicks off tonight in Cleveland. As Donald Trump prepares to accept his party’s nomination, he’ll seek to bridge deep divisions in a GOP that’s still conflicted about his candidacy. There are also policy disagreements between Donald Trump and his newly minted running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, on issues like trade, the Iraq War and Trump's proposed Muslim ban. GOP stalwarts say the party will unite around their common goal