Grassley plans brief appearance at GOP convention

WASHINGTON - At least four top Republican senators say they've decided to skip July's party nominating convention in Cleveland to campaign in their home states.

Several others say they haven't decided whether they'll make the trip, and at least one will boycott the event if Donald Trump emerges as the Republicans' presidential pick.

Iowa's Chuck Grassley said he plans to go, but briefly. Grassley, who faces re-election this year, insisted that past experiences have taught him that the conventions suck up valuable time.

'I've gone to every convention since 1980, and every time I get done going I wonder why I went to the convention,” Grassley said. 'And I think this time I'm going to talk to myself beforehand instead of afterwards. You waste a lot of time.”

This year's convention is shaping up as perhaps the party's most pivotal - and contentious - in a generation, and some Senate Republicans appear increasingly nervous about it.

Many in the party are agonizing over the possible elevation of Donald Trump or a contested convention that awards the nomination to someone else, either of which risks damaging the party and handing Senate control to Democrats.

House Speaker Paul Ryan used a Tuesday night appearance on CNN to call on his colleagues to attend what he said 'could be a great historical exercise.”

So far, most of the senators planning to skip the convention are being careful to avoid blaming Trump or the potential messiness directly.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the party's 2008 presidential nominee, said he'll be too busy running for his sixth Senate term to go.

Two others not attending - Mark Kirk of Illinois and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire - face tough races.

Alaska's Lisa Murkowski noted the July 18 to 21 convention 'is very shortly before my primary. So I'm going to be home with Alaskans.”

Asked whether fissures in the party over leading candidates Trump or Cruz contributed to her decision, she responded, 'I won't be there.”

Even though those taking a pass on Cleveland say they want to be on the campaign trail, staying away affords them other advantages. They might be able to avoid taking sides in what could be a protracted and bitter feud between Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and perhaps distance themselves from any chaotic fallout.

But their absences also diminish the likelihood of any grand unity gesture emerging from the convention.

Still, many other Republican senators are planning to go, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and former presidential candidate Marco Rubio.

Some senior senators say they will go precisely because the wisdom of party elders may be sorely needed.

'I've never missed one,” said Orrin Hatch of Utah, adding he plans to go even if the convention gets messy. 'Especially, because they're going to have to have some people with brains, you know. I shouldn't say that.”