"People keep saying Donald Trump's not conservative enough," state Sen. Michael Doherty said at the Republican National Convention. "I happen to think he is." Watch video
CLEVELAND -- It was October when state Sen. Michael Doherty became the first New Jersey lawmaker to publicly endorse Donald Trump for president.
It was a time when pundits were still predicting the celebrity businessman would fizzle out of the Republican primary.
And it was a time when the Republican governor of Doherty's own state, Chris Christie, was still running against Trump for the GOP's nod.
Ten months later, Doherty (R-Warren) was standing on the floor as the Republican National Convention kicked off in Cleveland, with Trump set to formally accept the GOP's presidential nomination.
Did he imagine back then that he'd be here today?
"I could tell he was really resonating with the people out there," Doherty told NJ Advance Media on the convention's first day at Quicken Loans Arena. "And he was talking about issues the base wanted talked about for years. ... I thought he was going to do very well."
Doherty, a long-time critics of Christie, also said he believes Trump made the right choice picking Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate. Pence beat out Christie and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich for the job.
"People keep saying Donald Trump's not conservative enough," Doherty said."I happen to think he is. ... And Mike Pence sort of solidifies that."
And while Trump's rhetoric and unconventional campaign led many top Republicans to skip the convention and refuse to back Trump, Doherty said there's a simple reason the GOP should unite and support the real estate mogul and former Atlantic City casino tycoon.
"What the alternative? Hillary Clinton?" Doherty asked.
Watch NJ Advance Media's full interview with Doherty above.
Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.