Trump foes win chance to voice opposition at convention

Republican opponents of White House hopeful Donald Trump scored a symbolic victory on Monday, forcing a vote at the start of the party convention enabling them to register their opposition to him as the expected U.S. presidential nominee.

U.S. Senator Mike Lee of Utah said enough delegates signed on to force a vote on the party's nominating rules that would allow delegates to vote for alternatives to Trump.

The anti-Trump delegates are unlikely to succeed in changing the rules and preventing the New York businessman's nomination for the Nov. 8 election. But the effort could allow them to register opposition, embarrassing Trump as his campaign strives to play down divisions within the party.

In response to statements from the Trump opponents on their efforts to force a rules vote, Ed Brookover, Trump's delegate manager at the Cleveland gathering, said he was unsure where the effort stood.

Trump last week declared the so-called "Never Trump" movement dead, tweeting that "#NeverTrump is never more."

(Additional reporting by Emily Stephenson; Editing by Howard Goller)