A Republican odyssey, from Goldwater in the Cow Palace to Trump in Milwaukee

Shawn Steel, a 77-year-old California delegate, has been involved in the Republican Party for over six decades. He first attended the 1964 Republican National Convention in San Francisco as a teenager, where he booed Nelson Rockefeller's speech. Steel was drawn to politics through the speeches of Fred Schwarz, an Australian doctor who preached anti-communism. He became a lawyer, suing insurance companies, and eventually rose through the party ranks, becoming a delegate in 1996, state party chair in 2001, and national committeeman in 2008. Steel was initially skeptical of Donald Trump during the 2016 primaries but came around to supporting him after he was elected president. Steel is now serving as sergeant-at-arms for the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, ensuring that delegates behave and maintaining order. Steel believes Trump's chances of regaining the presidency have increased following the recent assassination attempt. Despite his initial doubts about Trump in 2016, Steel now supports him, particularly for his Supreme Court and federal judiciary nominees. Steel's wife, Michelle Eunjoo Steel, is a Korean American who has risen from the California State Board of Equalization to Congress.