![Republican National Convention: Day One Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, second left, along with other delegates from Virginia chant for a rule call vote on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/rnc_convention_floor_opening.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
By Will Drabold
As Republicans gathered in Cleveland to nominate Donald Trump, some of his critics had other plans.
Former rival Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, now running for re-election, spent the day in Fort Myers, Florida, talking about algae blooms that have threatened the state’s waterways.
Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse, one of the most goal supporters of the Never Trump movement, spent the day detasseling corn—removing pollen producing flowers from the tops of corn stalks.
And Arizona Sen. John McCain, who was mocked by Trump during the primary for having been captured in Vietnam, skipped the convention to campaign in a tough reelection fight.
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