It's scary out there.

Donald Trump painted a foreboding picture Thursday of an America adrift as he accepted the Republican presidential nomination with a sober speech in Cleveland.

He invoked a nation imprisoned by its own rotten political establishment and clawing special interests, at risk from terrorists who could be disguised as Syrian refugees and stalked by tens of thousands of illegal immigrant criminals.

Trump has demonstrated a knack for channeling the nation's mood. His convention message is tailored for a country grappling with mounting anxiety over a rash of terror attacks at home and abroad, and a feeling that something is badly wrong after a spate of shootings of police officers, rising racial tensions and a globalized economy that has left many Americans behind. Trump's speech may have hit on a message that could propel him to the presidency.

The question now, as Republican delegates head home and the political circus decamps to Philadelphia for Hillary Clinton's anointing by Democrats next week, is whether Trump did what he needed to do in Cleveland.

Ford O'Connell, a Republican strategist, said that notwithstanding Cruz's intervention on Wednesday, Trump succeeded in pulling together the Republican Party, which initially viewed him with suspicion around him.

"I think that he united the base," O'Connell said, arguing that Trump needed to ensure that more than 90% of GOP voters showed up in November if he has a chance to win the election.

Read more from Stephen Collinson at CNN

Republicans won’t be in a partying mood when they gather in Cleveland next week to nominate Donald Trump for president.

GOP aides and lobbyists say there has been a big drop-off in invitations, compared with past presidential conventions, with many establishment Republicans and corporations shunning the event.

The angry populist wave that fueled Trump’s rise has scared corporations away from Cleveland, with many afraid to associate their brands with his controversial — and unpredictable — style of politics.

The shooting of 12 police officers, five fatally, during a protest in Dallas last week underscored for many Republicans and potential corporate sponsors the possibility for unrest in Cleveland.

Many of the companies and firms that will be on hand for the convention have decided to lay low by not hosting parties.

“Corporate brands are always worried about any misperceptions that may happen as a result of either convention, but particularly with what’s going on between Dallas and Trump,” said Ford O’Connell, a GOP strategist who worked on Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) 2008 presidential campaign.

But just because corporations won’t be plastering their logos on sponsored parties doesn’t mean they won’t have a presence in Cleveland.

“At the same time, even though you’re not seeing their specific names on stuff like you’ve seen in the past, they’re going to be right there,” O’Connell said. “All they’re doing is saying, ‘We’re not part of it,’ but that doesn’t mean they don’t want a seat at the table and the ability to shape policy.”

Read more from Alexander Bolton at The Hill

The raucous prime-time GOP debate on Thursday included sharp exchanges between a number of candidates seeking to break out from the crowded field.

GOP front-runner Donald Trump took several tough questions, while New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) had a notable tussle.

The Hill asked seven GOP pundits to weigh in with their winners.

Here are their thoughts:

Ford O'Connell

Winner: Rubio

Why: Without question, this was one of the most gripping presidential debates in years. Trump was bombastic and entertaining right from the start, and skirted questions like a lifelong politician in a tight, controlled setting; Trump's biggest error was not accepting the pledge to not run as a third-party candidate. Bush and Walker played it safe tonight and largely underwhelmed. Rubio was the clear winner tonight. Whether Rubio leads the headlines tomorrow and gets a bump in the polls is open for debate. Huckabee, Christie and Kasich also shined and will get more looks, but there is one person all 10 on the stage should be looking over their shoulders at in the next debate: Fiorina.

Read more at The Hill

Donald Trump dominated the first Republican primary debate Thursday with a performance that was pugnacious, volatile and, as ever, controversial. 

Trump showed that he could take a punch, facing a number of tough questions from Fox News moderators that cited his business history, penchant for outlandish comments and erstwhile support for liberal positions. 

The businessman suffered just a few truly uncomfortable moments and avoided the kind of catastrophe some of his detractors had predicted.

As the crowd began to leave the arena, it was clear that one word would be as central to the post-debate analysis as it was to the pre-game: Trump.

“Trump was bombastic and entertaining right from the start, said GOP strategist Ford O’Connell. “His biggest error was not accepting the pledge to not run as a third-party candidate. This will haunt Trump, especially if he doesn't rebound strongly in the next debate with more substance.”

Read more from Niall Stanage at The Hill

Republican strategist Ford O'Connell said the GOP picked Cleveland as the site for its 2016 convention for political reasons, and that the party hopes holding the event in the Ohio city will help it appeal to working class voters.

Watch the video and read more from Alexandra Oliveira at The Hill