Of course, it’s mathematically possible that Donald Trump will obtain a majority of delegates through the primary and caucus process, in which case all the talk about an open or contested convention is moot.
But the math is at least as likely to have Trump fall short, with only a plurality. And a plurality doesn’t entitle Trump to anything other than a floor fight — or cutting a deal with someone who has enough delegates to put him over the top.
The RNC appears to be getting ready for an open convention (what I call a contested convention). Reince Preibus dispelled the notion that there would be something improper with new rules being adopted:
There is always risks to every decision that you make. But there will always be a perception problem if people continue to miss — to not explain the process properly. So, the 2012 rules committee writes the rules for the 2012 convention. The 2016 rules committee writes the rules for the 2016 convention. Are you trying to say that the rules committee that was made up of Romney delegates should write — should enforce the rules for the 26 convention which will largely be made up of trump/cruz delegates? I mean, that wouldn’t make any sense, would it? I mean, that’s what I don’t understand. This is very simple. The delegates get elected. The delegates fill the slots on these different committees, and there’s many committees – there’s platform rules, credentials. Those delegates make the decisions on the governance of the convention that they’re a part of. That’s really simple to me.
(video and transcript via Hot Air)
Perhaps more important, the RNC agrees that the math is the math, and a plurality is not a majority:
The Republican National Committee chairman wouldn’t back Donald Trump’s argument that the candidates with the most delegates headed into the party’s convention in Cleveland should automatically win the nomination.Reince Priebus told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” Sunday that if no candidate wins the 1,237 delegates necessary to clinch the nomination before the convention, it’s up to GOP delegates to decide how to go forward.”This is a delegate-driven process. This is the first time in a long time people actually cared about delegate count, but delegates matter,” Priebus said. “The minority of delegates doesn’t rule for the majority.”He pointed out that he was named Republican chairman on the seventh ballot — and though he led the entire race, “no one gave it to me on the second or third ballot. In fact, I had to fight and fight and fight, and eventually I got the majority. That’s how it works.””No one’s disenfranchised. In fact, they’re empowered by the delegates they receive,” he said.
He made a similar point on ABC News:
Uh — uh probably not still the case, no. I think it’s possible. We’re preparing for the possibility. I think it’s my job is to be as open and transparent as I possibly can be. Why I’m trying to get out there on the convention a lot, out in the media. Talk about the rules. What they are, what they’re not. Take the mystery away from what an open convention looks like. It’s simple stuff. [Transcript via Weekly Standard.]
So, get ready to rumble, or as The Donald says, riots.
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