By LIBBY CATHEY, ABC News

(WASHINGTON) — The Republican National Convention continues Wednesday under the theme “America, Land of Heroes” with Vice President Mike Pence closing out the evening from Fort McHenry in Baltimore, the site of a battle during the War of 1812 that inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Though Republicans promised an optimistic convention that would be a sharp departure from the “doom and gloom” virtual gathering they said Democrats put on last week, the RNC has so far sprinkled in apocalyptic language to cast the country as a place on the brink of violence and corruption in its pitch to Americans to reelect the man currently in charge.

The evening’s speakers include Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Madison Cawthorn, a 25-year-old political newcomer who won his Republican primary runoff in the North Carolina congressional seat vacated by Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows — without having the initial endorsement of the White House.

Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway is still slated to speak following her surprise announcement Sunday night that she’s departing from the White House at the end of the month, citing a need to focus on her family.

President Donald Trump is also expected to make some sort of appearance.

Those scheduled to speak on Wednesday night include:

  • Vice President Mike Pence
  • Second lady Karen Pence
  • Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn
  • Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst
  • South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem
  • Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw
  • New York Rep. Elise Stefanik
  • New York Rep. Lee Zeldin
  • Former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell
  • Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway
  • National security adviser to Pence Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg
  • Madison Cawthorn, Republican nominee for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District
  • Clarence Henderson, civil rights activist
  • Lara Trump, Trump campaign adviser and wife of Eric Trump

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