There are 2,472 Republican National Convention Delegates, but Only One From Missoula

The Republican National Convention begins Monday, July 18 and 27 delegates from Montana along with more Montana alternate delegates are making their way there. Mike Hopkins, the only delegate from the city of Missoula, will also be in the crowd and explains his delegate role.

"What that means is that I'll be on the floor of the convention voting to approve or not approve the various changes to the platform, adopting the rules as selected by the rules committee, and, inevitably, voting for the Republican Nominee for president," Hopkins said.

Because he’s a delegate, Hopkins says he’s been deluged with emails advising him on how to vote.

"One of the things about being a delegate for either party, is that you get slammed with emails from everybody that is trying to do anything at the convention," Hopkins said. "Myself, like all of the other delegates have been deluged with emails from groups like the 'unbound 'movement, which is trying to get delegates unbound so that they can 'vote their conscience' as they like to say."

Montana’s 27 delegates look small compared to the total of 2,472 delegates from all fifty states, Washington D.C. and even from American protectorates like Guam and Puerto Rico. Some areas, like American Samoa only get nine delegates, while California boasts the largest number of delegates at 172.