Eric Brakey in The Atlantic

On Foreign Policy: Deposing secular dictators in Mid-East empowers our enemies

Brakey proposed to condemn the Obama administration's intervention in Libya and blame it for destabilizing the region and empowering the Islamic State. "The deposing of secular dictators in the Middle East empowers our enemies," his text read. "We oppose the continuing of this failed practice."

Defending his views, Brakey summoned Trump: "Even our presumptive nominee acknowledges that the decision to take out the secular dictator in Iraq was a mistake," he noted. But other delegates said they didn't like the idea of the GOP "defending evil dictators." That amendment was defeated, as were several other Brakey proposals aimed at turning the party in a less interventionist direction. Delegates declined to soften the party's stance toward Russia, or to categorically condemn foreign aid.

On Welfare & Poverty: Disallow using food stamps to purchase junk food

The proposal had come from Eric Brakey, a libertarian state senator from Maine and a member of the 112-person panel tasked with drafting the official Republican Party platform this week. "I would like to put in language specifying that when Republicans are in control of the federal government, we will allow states to put restrictions in place so that SNAP benefits"--better known as food stamps--"cannot be used to purchase junk food," Brakey said from his seat on the dais, five tiers of bunting-clad tables in a cavernous convention-center basement. In Maine, Brakey explained, the Republican governor had sought such a restriction but been denied by the Obama administration.