CLEVELAND – Rep. Renee Ellmers will not be returning to Congress next year, but that didn’t keep her away from the GOP convention in Ohio.   

Ellmers was spotted with her husband heading to seats in the upper tier of the Quicken Loans Arena Thursday night. She lost the GOP primary for her seat, so the couple had to pay their own way to Cleveland since she no longer had a campaign fund.   

“I’m so looking forward to the future and opportunities ahead of us. And that’s really the reason I’m here,” Ellmers said.   

Donald Trump endorsed Ellmers in her congressional campaign, which was one of the few campaigns he weighed in on.  

“I’m doing it really because it’s just so important for the country,” Ellmers said of paying her own way. “And I really want to be a part of what happens moving forward. It’s very important to show support.”  

Though Ellmers is not here as a congressional candidate, she said she can still access the same areas as other members of Congress, such as the “cloakroom” in the arena that is members-only.