Cleveland (CNN) Open discord and revolt broke out on the floor of the Republican National Convention Monday as GOP officials crushed an attempt to change party rules, a maneuver that could have embarrassed presumptive nominee Donald Trump .

In a highly unusual show of disunity and anger on the floor of a modern party convention, a group of states tried to force a state-by-state roll call vote on the rules of the convention. The rebellion apparently caught Trump's campaign team by surprise, and his lieutenants were seen frantically whipping votes on the floor to squelch the effort amid scenes of deepening disarray.

The dramatic scenes that unfolded around a normally routine procedure in passing the convention rules effectively turned into the last stand of party forces who had opposed the billionaire in the contentious Republican primary. Those holdouts were not trying to deprive Trump of the nomination -- in the knowledge they didn't have the votes.

But their protest, which highlighted antipathy toward Trump in some parts of the party, may also turn out to have been one of the opening salvos of the Ted Cruz 2020 campaign, as it was driven by several of the Texas senator's most prominent supporters who were keen to make the battlefield more favorable for conservatives in future Republican primaries.

Backers of the effort said they would continue to protest Tuesday, when delegates are expected to formally make Trump their nominee.

"This race isn't over and I'm running to the finish line," Kendal Unruh, a Colorado delegate who is leading the Free the Delegates effort, told reporters on the floor Monday night.

The tumult of the afternoon receded by the evening as delegates heard from a prime-time lineup of speakers who addressed national security issues. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani gave an especially impassioned speech that brought many Republicans in the arena to their feet.

Photos: The Republican National Convention Donald Trump, the Republican Party's presidential nominee, delivers a speech Thursday at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. "I have had a truly great life in business," he said. "But now, my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country -- to go to work for you. It's time to deliver a victory for the American people." Hide Caption 1 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump is seen on screen as balloons fall from the ceiling of Quicken Loans Arena. Hide Caption 2 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump's family joins him on stage along with the family of his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Hide Caption 3 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Confetti falls at the end of Trump's acceptance speech. Hide Caption 4 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump and Pence acknowledge the audience after Trump's speech. Hide Caption 5 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump claps on stage with his wife, Melania. Hide Caption 6 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention The Trumps embrace on stage. Hide Caption 7 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump hugs his son Barron after his address, which lasted well over an hour. Hide Caption 8 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump, like many of the convention's speakers this week, went after Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee. "Big business, elite media and major donors are lining up behind the campaign of my opponent because they know she will keep our rigged system in place," he said. "They are throwing money at her because they have total control over everything she does. She is their puppet, and they pull the strings." Hide Caption 9 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump delivers his speech. Hide Caption 10 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump said the United States will be a nation of "generosity and warmth" and "law and order." Hide Caption 11 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention A delegate listens to Trump's speech. Hide Caption 12 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention "Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it," Trump said. "My message is that things have to change -- and they have to change right now." Hide Caption 13 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump accepts the party's nomination as he begins his speech. Hide Caption 14 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump's daughter Ivanka takes the stage Thursday before giving a speech introducing her father. Hide Caption 15 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention "This is the moment, and Donald Trump is the person to make America great again!" Ivanka Trump said to a big cheer. She called her father a fighter, saying now he will "fight for his country." Hide Caption 16 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, became the first openly gay person to speak the Republican National Convention. "I am proud to be gay," he told the crowd Thursday. "I am proud to be a Republican. But most of all I am proud to be an American." Hide Caption 17 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, delivers a speech on Thursday. "We are the party of new ideas in a changing and faster world than ever before," he said. Hide Caption 18 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Legendary basketball coach Bob Knight delivers a video message to the crowd at Quicken Loans Arena. Hide Caption 19 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Motivational speaker Brock Mealer was among those who spoke on Thursday. Hide Caption 20 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention A delegate dressed as Hillary Clinton is accosted by another delegate on Thursday. Hide Caption 21 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Delegates stand for the national anthem Thursday. Hide Caption 22 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Young singer Heavenly Joy performs. Hide Caption 23 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump gives a thumbs-up Wednesday after Pence gave his speech. Hide Caption 24 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump gives an "air kiss" to Pence after Pence's speech. Hide Caption 25 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Pence receives a kiss from his mother, Nancy, as his family joins him on stage after his speech. Hide Caption 26 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Pence acknowledges the crowd as he walks on stage to deliver his speech. Hide Caption 27 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention "I'm a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order," Pence told the crowd. Hide Caption 28 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich delivers a speech on Wednesday. Hide Caption 29 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump smiles on the floor of the convention on Wednesday. Hide Caption 30 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Eric Trump, one of Donald Trump's sons, walks on stage to deliver a speech Wednesday. Hide Caption 31 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump listens to his son's speech along with other members of his family on Wednesday. Hide Caption 32 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Delegates shout on the floor of the arena on Wednesday. Hide Caption 33 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, Trump's main adversary in the primaries, was booed at the end of his speech when it was clear he wasn't endorsing Trump. Cruz told people to "vote your conscience." Hide Caption 34 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention People react to Cruz's speech. Hide Caption 35 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Cruz gives a thumbs-up as he walks off stage. Hide Caption 36 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, another one of Trump's primary opponents, delivers a video message. Hide Caption 37 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention A delegate checks his phone at the arena. Hide Caption 38 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker delivers a speech Wednesday. "A vote for anyone other than Donald Trump in November is a vote for Hillary Clinton," the former presidential candidate said. Hide Caption 39 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Delegates hold up signs Wednesday. Hide Caption 40 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Retired astronaut Eileen Collins waves to the crowd before delivering a speech Wednesday. Hide Caption 41 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Trump addresses the crowd on Tuesday. "We're going to make America great again," he said in a video message shortly after winning the nomination. "Have a fantastic evening. I'll see you tomorrow night, I'll see you Thursday night, and we will win in November." Hide Caption 42 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon and former presidential candidate, speaks on stage Tuesday. He said Trump skeptics who would vote for Hillary Clinton are "not using their God-given brain to think about what they're saying. ... She'll be appointing people who will have an effect on us for generations. And America may never recover." Hide Caption 43 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention A member of the activist group Code Pink protests inside the arena during Carson's speech. Hide Caption 44 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Donald Trump Jr. delivers a speech Tuesday. "We need to elect a man who has a track record of accomplishing the impossible," he said of his father. Hide Caption 45 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Members of the Trump family watch as Donald Trump Jr. gives his speech. Hide Caption 46 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Donald Trump's daughter Tiffany addresses the crowd at Quicken Loans Arena. "Whatever (my father) does, he gives it all and does it well," she said on Tuesday. "His desire for excellence is contagious. He possesses a unique gift for bringing that out in others." Hide Caption 47 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst waves as she stands with other first-term senators on Tuesday. Hide Caption 48 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie delivers a speech that was heavily critical of the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee. "It is our obligation to stop Hillary Clinton now and never let her within 10 miles of the White House again," Christie said of the former secretary of state. "It is time to come together and make sure that Donald Trump is our next President. I am proud to be part of this team. Now let's go win this thing." Hide Caption 49 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Delegates fill the floor of the arena on Tuesday. Hide Caption 50 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Four of Donald Trump's children -- from left, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump -- celebrate on the floor of the convention, where Donald Trump Jr. announced the New York delegates that clinched the nomination for his father. Hide Caption 51 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention A delegate shows support for Donald Trump's wife, Melania, on Tuesday. Hide Caption 52 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention A delegate whistles as roll call votes are cast on Tuesday. Hide Caption 53 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Delegates take a photo with Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, center, on Tuesday. Hide Caption 54 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention A Florida delegate holds a "Hillary for prison" sign on the floor of the arena. Hide Caption 55 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention A convention attendee wears American-themed shoes on Tuesday. Hide Caption 56 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention House Speaker Paul Ryan bangs the gavel to open the second day of the convention on Tuesday. Hide Caption 57 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Melania Trump kisses her husband, Donald, after she spoke Monday on the first day of the convention. "If you want someone to fight for you and your country, I can assure you, he's the guy," she said of her husband. "He will never, ever give up. And most importantly, he will never, ever let you down." Hide Caption 58 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Donald Trump walks to his wife after she delivered her speech. Hide Caption 59 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Melania Trump claps during her speech. Hide Caption 60 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Donald Trump comes out to the song "We Are the Champions" before introducing his wife. Hide Caption 61 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani delivered a fiery speech before Melania Trump. Among his topics was the fight against terrorists. "We know who you are, and we're coming to get you!" he said. Hide Caption 62 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention A protester flashes a peace sign on the floor of the convention on Monday. Hide Caption 63 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. salutes the crowd before speaking Monday. He got huge applause when he started off his speech by saying, "Blue lives matter!" Hide Caption 64 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Patricia Smith, mother of Benghazi victim Sean Smith, told the crowd in Cleveland, "I blame Hillary Clinton personally." Clinton, the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, was secretary of state when the attack occurred in Libya in 2012. Hide Caption 65 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention President Barack Obama is seen on a screen as Smith leaves the stage Monday. Hide Caption 66 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Marcus Luttrell, a former Navy SEAL who was awarded the Navy Cross for his service in Afghanistan, spoke about the need for an elite military. The convention's theme for Monday was "Make America Safe Again." Hide Caption 67 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Actor Scott Baio gives two thumbs up during his speech on Monday. "Let's not just make America great again," he said, referring to Trump's campaign slogan. "Let's make America America again!" Hide Caption 68 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Willie Robertson, star of the hit TV show "Duck Dynasty," promised the crowd that Trump "will have your back." Hide Caption 69 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole, the GOP's presidential nominee in 1996, waves after listening to a speech on Monday. Hide Caption 70 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Marlana VanHoose performs the national anthem prior to Monday's evening session. Hide Caption 71 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, center, was among the delegates shouting for a roll call vote Monday on the rules of the Republican National Convention. GOP officials dismissed the move, saying there were not enough signatures to force a roll call vote. While it's unlikely a roll call vote would have rejected the rules package, it could have been an embarrassing protest vote against Trump and the Republican National Committee. Hide Caption 72 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Virginia delegate Waverly Woods protests on the floor of the convention. Hide Caption 73 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Delegates from Texas protest. Hide Caption 74 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, bangs a gavel as resolutions are adopted at the start of the convention. Hide Caption 75 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention Delegates stand and turn toward the camera for an official photo on Monday. Hide Caption 76 of 77 Photos: The Republican National Convention People walk in front of a screen displaying the American flag. 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The afternoon furor erupted when Arkansas Rep. Steve Womack, who was serving as convention chair, put the rules for the convention to a voice vote, and amid a chorus of boos and cheers from anti-Trump supporters declared those in favor of the motion had prevailed, while apparently ignoring objections from several state delegations on the cacophonous floor of the convention.

Womack then walked off the stage, amid chants of "roll call, roll call" by protesters, a chorus that was quickly met by loud counter chants of "Trump," "Trump" from the presumptive nominee's supporters.

"I have never seen the floor abandoned like that," said Utah Sen. Mike Lee , a key Cruz supporter as delegates on both sides of the row tried to work out of happen, amid roughly 10 minutes of uncertainty in which a jazz band played on stage, amid scenes of seething anger and confusion on the convention floor.

In one show of anger, Virginia's Ken Cuccinelli threw his credentials on the floor, frustrated that the chair was not allowing a full roll call vote.

At one stage, the Colorado delegation walked out of the convention hall.

When, Womack returned to the stage and ran the voice vote for a second time -- and again declared "In the opinion of the chair the aye's have it" hyphen several delegates did manage to lodge objections.

Womack explained that seven states were required to demonstrate a majority of their delegates wanted a roll call vote. While those backing a vote believed they had achieved that number by filing nine petitions, Womack told the convention that three states had subsequently withdrawn their petitions for a roll call vote, meaning there were not sufficient votes to force such a roll call vote.

Even had there been a roll call vote, the Trump forces would likely have prevailed since the billionaire managed to win a majority of delegates in the GOP primary. The Trump forces were also backed by Republican National Committee officials in a sign of new coordination between the insurgent candidate and the institutional party establishment.

Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort said the roll call push "was not about Trump."

"It would have been a meaningless gesture," Manafort said. "We knew the result, everybody knew the result and it would have affected the schedule for tonight so it wasn't something that was a wise choice."

Ted Cruz's 2020 campaign?

Backers of the rebellion insisted they were not protesting against Trump himself but were trying to overhaul party rules that could change the way the Republican nominee is selected in future elections.

"This is about the rules of the convention," Lee told CNN's Dana Bash, as protesters shouted around him. "This is about the future of the party... This is not about Donald Trump, this is about having a good, fair rules process."

Lee said the fight doesn't demonstrate the party is divided.

"It says there is an honest disagreement about the rules and we want vote on the rules. That's all it says," Lee said. "They are people who are trying to make this a simple debate about people who favor Donald Trump and those who don't... We knew it was going to be close."

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Cuccinelli told CNN's Jake Tapper that the rebellion was about "incentivizing states to close their primaries." Such a move could make it more difficult for candidates like Trump that do not have a long conservative pedigree from relying on moderates and independents to boost their GOP primary campaigns.

CNN's delegate expert Mike Shields said that the intervention was not about stopping Trump but "the start of the Ted Cruz 2020 campaign."

But a senior Cruz adviser told CNN's Sara Murray that the Texas senator's team was not pushing for the rebellion.

A closed primary system could help candidates like Cruz, who drew from more hard-line Republicans during his 2016 campaign than did Trump. Cruz frequently argued that Trump drew support from more liberal voters, and his aides frequently predicted that closed states would lead him to victory.

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"Closed primaries advantage generally conservatives, and that would be Cruz if he decides to run again," said David Barton, a Christian activist who steered a Cruz super PAC. "It really is beneficial from sheriff races all the way to state senate races. This is a lot of states have been asking for a long time."

The attempted uprising fell far short of the contested convention #NeverTrump forces had hoped at one stage to mount to stop the party nominating Trump, who some opponents see as divisive, insufficiently conservative and likely heading for defeat in November's general election.

Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kaufmann told CNN that most delegates asking for a roll call vote were raising "legitimate questions" about the rules that had nothing to do with the nominee: "When the gavel falls on this national convention, that doesn't mean the conversations end. In fact, that's when some conversations begin," he said.

Kaufmann said he believes the anti-Trump sentiment here at the convention is a "very small fragment" that has "almost evaporated" and predicted that the prospect of Hillary Clinton as president would expedite the process of coming together.

RNC Communications Director Sean Spicer said that several states dropped out of the demands for a roll call vote once they understood its implications.

"They submitted nine states but as people realized what was being asked of them, three of those states lacked the majority," Spicer told CNN.

Lee on CNN said there were 11 states that had submitted petitions.

Spicer downplayed the idea the aborted rebellion was a sign of discontent in the party.

"Forty-four states were in support. This is a tiny, tiny group of folks that have made noise," he said.

Alex Willette, an RNC committeeman from the Maine delegation, confirmed that Maine was one of the states had submitted signatures and then pulled back. He said delegates said they didn't really understand what they were signing at first. Willette, who did not sign the petition, said some delegates were told that if the rules were voted down, the rules would go back to the 2012 rules, which was not accurate.

Lobbying by Trump, RNC

After the petitions were filed, Trump aides and RNC staff could be seen fanning across the floor, pulling aside delegates and coordinating their counter-efforts. Top Trump delegate wrangler Rick Gates said he was confident they would be able to repeat their success last week when the Rules Committee met and blocked efforts to unbind the delegates, as well as a similar Cuccinelli-led effort on the 2020 primaries.

"Our goal is to destroy them," Gates said.

As the convention secretary went through the signatures and petitions, the speaker program was interrupted by several musical interludes in order to get more time.

John Fredericks, radio host and Virginia delegate and vice chair of Trump Virginia, whipped his delegates to have his state not sign on to the petition.

"It would disrupt the convention for no reason," he said. "There's no reason for the vote other than the disrupt the convention and embarrass he nominee."

RNC leaders were confident they would have won a roll call vote if one was taken.

"We will do one and they will lose big time," New Hampshire Committeeman Steve Duprey said when asked what happens if the signatures to force a vote are valid. "I hope they do so we can whack them one more time."

Floor protests

Members of the Colorado delegation walked out in protest as they called for a roll call vote after the voice votes.

"Overwhelmingly the floor was flooded with people who are upset with the way the rules were handled, said Regina Thomson, Cruz's state director and Colorado delegate and executive director of Free the Delegates. "They want a roll call vote and apparently the leadership just steamrolled right through the fact that the whole place was calling for a roll call vote."

Thomson says they oppose a number of things including open primaries, language in the rules package binding delegates. She wants everyone to be able to come here and vote for the "candidate of their choice."

Jon Stainbrook, an Ohio delegate, was unhappy the roll call vote was blocked.

"This is Republican family discussion -- and our part of the discussion was shut down very abruptly," he said.

He said Ohio's delegates wanted to nominate home-state Gov. John Kasich, who won its winner-take-all primary.

"I'm not happy about that, but again, we're not voting for Hillary Clinton. So in the end, we would like to have been given the opportunity to vote for our governor," he said.