Spotlight: Trump officially wins Republican presidential nomination, unity appealed by party leaders

Donald Trump was officially named as the Republican presidential nominee on Tuesday after having rebuffed attempts from anti-Trump delegates to change party rules at the beginning of the 2016 Republican National Convention.

REAL ESTATE MOGUL NOMINATED

U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan officially announced Trump's nomination after a state-by-state vote on Tuesday night.

"The chair announces that Donald J. Trump, having received a majority of these votes, entitled to be cast at this convention, has been selected as the Republican Party nominee for president of the United States," Ryan said.

The real estate mogul from New York clinched the nomination as party delegates from the country's 50 states, five territories and Washington, D.C. cast their votes.

Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. announced New York's delegation votes, allowing his father to secure 1,237 delegate votes he needed to become the Republican presidential nominee and contest the presidential election in November.

"It is my honor to be able to throw Donald Trump over the top in the delegate count tonight," Trump Jr. said, congratulating his father on the nomination.

Republicans also nominated Indiana Governor Mike Pence as Trump's vice presidential running mate.

NOMINATION AMID DISSENT, SCANDAL

In an appearance via video at the convention, Trump accepted the nomination before making his official acceptance speech on Thursday.

"I'm so proud to be your nominee for president of the United States," Trump said.

"We are going to win the presidency and bring real change and leadership back to Washington," he proclaimed.

Responding to Trump's nomination, Hillary Clinton posted on Twitter "Let's do this" along with an animated gif image from an earlier TV show with NBC host Jimmy Fallon.

Clinton gave a terse "No" followed by a smile when Fallon asked her whether she's intimidated by Trump.

She is expected to formally receive the Democratic Party's nomination at a party convention in Philadelphia later this month.

Noise from Trump's dissidents and opponents has never abated over the course of his campaign.

His nomination came after a somewhat tumultuous first day at the Republican National Convention.

On Monday, anti-Trump delegates in the party failed to push through a roll call vote to change convention rules, which would allow some of the delegates who had voted Trump to recast their votes to other candidates.

Moreover, Trump's wife Melania was accused of plagiarizing part of a 2008 speech by First Lady Michelle Obama in her speech on Monday night.

Trump's campaign manager denied the charge, saying it was not by intention. He also accused the media and Hilary Clinton's supporters for flaring up the issue by giving it a "political tint."

PARTY LEADERS APPEAL FOR UNITY

Amid such chaos and discord, Republican leaders called for party unity as recent events have led to increasingly divisive GOP.

Ryan described the schism of the Trump supporters and the "Never Trump" factions as arguments that show "the signs of life" in the Republican Party.

"What do you say that we unify this party at this crucial moment when unity is everything?" Ryan called on the delegates in the room on Tuesday.

"This year's surprises and dramatic turns can end in the finest possible way," he said.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson also called for a united front to defeat Hillary Clinton in November. Endi