Pulse of America: Road Trip to the Convention With Martha Raddatz

As the nation engages in a dialogue about race and law enforcement, politics have inevitably entered the picture, with Americans looking to see who can lead the country and bridge the divide during this difficult moment in history.

Last week in Baton Rouge and Minneapolis, communities grieved for the loss of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile respectively, both of whom were killed at hands of the police. In Dallas, a community mourned for five police officers killed in a shooting rampage that interrupted a peaceful demonstration against police violence.

To gather a better understanding of the pulse of America, ABC News' Martha Raddatz departed from Dallas for a week-long road trip. The final destination: Cleveland, where the Republican National Convention will kick off July 18.

Follow along as Martha speaks to voters from all walks of life. Click on the red points in the map below to trace her journey from Dallas to Cleveland. Additionally, this page will be updated daily with stories, video and photos as Martha and her team travel hundreds of miles to find the pulse of America.

The trip began on a very somber note as Martha reflected on her weekend in Dallas. There she met Valentine and Awujoola Okonkwo who immigrated from Nigeria and have lived in Texas for over a decade.

While the couple said they didn't feel a divide with the white community, they told Martha the next president should be able to unite the country, allowing every American to feel "comfortable."

Awujoola stressed the value of immigrant community.

"I think we [immigrants] make the country better... We’re like over in a new land, you know, we want to do something great," he said. "So we’re very innovative, thinking of creative ideas, you know, and wanting to do so many things. So we need a leader that makes everyone feel welcome."

The couple is still undecided.

Next, the team headed 20 miles north to Plano where Martha met husband and wife Brian and Erin Bent.

Erin is a Democrat who will support Hillary Clinton, though she doesn't entirely trust the candidate. Brian, a Republican, has never voted for a Democrat, but may for the first time this November.

"I don’t feel like I associate myself with the Republican Party right now. I definitely don’t associate myself with the Democratic Party. So I, I feel like I am at an impasse," he told Martha.

Brian appreciates that Donald Trump has brought new issues to the foreground of the political debate, but disagrees with many of Trump's positions, like his proposal to ban Muslim immigrants. With regards to Hillary, he said his unwillingness to support her goes beyond the "trust issue." Brian was concerned about how Clinton handled her private email server while serving as secretary of state.

"I’m gonna exercise my right to vote, absolutely," he said. "But I don’t know what I’m gonna do at this point."

The next stop was at a scenic ranch in Ardmore belonging to Jud Little. Three hundred horses provided an idyllic backdrop, but Martha found there was real frustration among voters.

Jud voted for Ted Cruz in the Republican primary and is now leaning toward Trump, but he's not completely sold and may not cast his vote come November. While he agrees with Trump on immigration, he's worried about job loss in Oklahoma and how Trump will react on issues of foreign policy.

Jud was disillusioned with Washington politics and said he's waiting to see what happens at the convention in Cleveland before he makes up his mind.

One hundred miles north of Ardmore, the team stopped in Oklahoma City. At the memorial to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, Martha spoke to Melissa McLawhorn Houston, who survived the domestic terror attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building downtown.

Melissa expressed concern over the political rhetoric dominating this election cycle:

At the same memorial, Martha spoke to the Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty, who had a message of hope for the city of Dallas.

"I mean you have to feel hope, and people need to realize one person does not represent everyone else," he told Martha. "And especially the movement that's going on now, and the call for change in law enforcement ... if they [the police] fail to get better, in those relationships between the minority community and police, it's not going to be for a lack of effort from police."

The chief emphasized the need for communication so that both police and the community they protect understand each other's fears.

The final resting stop for the day was Tulsa, Oklahoma. Now, Martha and her team are on the way to Missouri.

Check back for the latest on Martha's road trip to Cleveland!

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