CLEVELAND -- As the cameramen swarmed around them, Arkansas' Republican delegates formally cast their votes Tuesday for the man they billed as "the next president of the United States," billionaire businessman Donald Trump.

Arkansas was fifth in the Call of the Roll of the States, following Alabama ("the home of national champion football teams"); Alaska ("the largest state in the Union"); Arizona ("the hottest state in the country for job growth"); and American Samoa ("the greatest exporter of NFL players.")

With Gov. Asa Hutchinson focusing on his own prime-time speech, the task of announcing Arkansas' tally fell to the delegation's vice chairman, Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin.

Once the cheers subsided, he read a public-service announcement that he'd jotted down earlier in the afternoon on the back of a convention program.

"Arkansas. Land of opportunity and birthplace of Johnny Cash and Al Green. We are open for business and growing jobs and manufacturing and high tech and Republicans control every statewide office, the Legislature and the entire congressional delegation," he said. "Unemployment is at its lowest in history. We've got the best duck hunting on earth. We're Number One in rice production, we raise delicious catfish, we cast our lines for world-class trout. We cast 40 votes, 15 votes for Ted Cruz and 25 votes for the next president of the United States Donald J. Trump."

The Arkansas vote was a small bit of good news for the New Yorker. He'd earned only 16 of the state's 40 delegates after narrowly winning the March 1 primary. But after meeting Tuesday morning and hearing an appeal from Hutchinson, all nine Arkansas delegates pledged to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio voted to cast their votes for their party's presumptive nominee.

State Sen. Bart Hester of Cave Springs, who headed Rubio's Arkansas campaign, said Hutchinson's appeal had been polite and low pressure.

"The governor said he would like to have a unified caucus, but he didn't want anyone to vote against their conscience," he said. "There was no arm twisting at all. It was just a respectful request and we complied."

As Griffin announced Arkansas' vote to the convention hall, delegation members from the Cruz, Rubio and Trump camps stood side by side, grinning for the television crews and cheering for their party's presidential nominee.

Afterward, Griffin smiled broadly while fellow Arkansans praised his performance. While he chatted, the congratulatory messages on his smartphone became to pile up.

He explained that he'd had a few deadline constraints. Organizers had warned that they'd shut off the microphone if speakers got too long-winded.

So Griffin boiled his message down to 50 seconds, including the time he paused for applause.

He'd tweaked it, adding a phrase here, crossing out a word there, revising it until nearly the last second.

"I changed about half of it just sitting in this chair," he said.

"I was excited. I was ready to go. I hope you can tell," he said. "The most important part for me is that my wife and kids are watching. They get to see daddy's actually working up here."

Fellow Arkansas delegates gave Griffin high marks.

"I thought it was good. Real good. He gave a little history of Arkansas there. Hit some highlights," said delegate Eddie Arnold of Arkadelphia.

Republican Party of Arkansas Chairman Doyle Webb, who flanked Griffin during his 50 seconds of fame, also was impressed. "Tim represented our state wonderfully, explaining all the great attributes of the citizens of our state, furthering economic development and the exciting things that are going on in Arkansas," he said.

The governor also gave Griffin high marks. "I was backstage during that time getting ready for the floor speech [and] I did watch it and I thought he did a great job, really showcasing all that we offer in Arkansas," Hutchinson said.

Metro on 07/20/2016