The Republican National Convention took centerstage in St. Paul, Minnesota. Like the Democratic convention before it, the place looked a lot like Sunday morning at a church of the already converted. At times, protesters popped up like dissident whack-a-mole – and were ejected from the convention center swiftly.

Texas Republicans have led their party one way or another for decades. This week’s National Convention has been their last hurrah- for now.

Wyoming delegates don’t understand why John McCain is distancing himself from the Bush and Cheney administration. They are more excited about Sarah Palin than McCain himself.

North Carolina delegates cheered wildly for Sarah Palin at the national convention. Now her conservative supporters are energized for the Republican quest for the White House.

When Senator Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination last week in Denver on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, African Americans gathered there wept with joy. Here in St. Paul it’s hard to find an African American face in the crowd. Republicans gathered in St. Paul for their national convention have the lowest turnout of African American delegates for 40 years - perhaps not surprising when an African American is the Democratic Presidential nominee.

Of the 28 Vermont Republicans meeting this week in St. Paul, eight of them are married couples. Matt Laslo talked to several of them about why politics is such a big part of their personal lives.

This week Capitol News Connection has been checking in with Sacramento-area delegates at the Republican National Convention. Melinda Wittstock caught up with a few shortly before Palin's speech.

Western states have gone for the Republican candidate in virtually every Presidential election over the last forty years. This year could be tight in Colorado.

This week Capitol News Connection has been checking in with central Virginia delegates at the Republican National Convention. And sends this first-person audio postcard from the convention floor.

The Republican National Convention is in full swing after a low-key start due to Hurricane Gustav. Much of Tuesday’s attention is focused on Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin.