Quote:
Originally Posted by calgarygeologist
Does anyone know if previous candidates, like Bush, can go to the convention with their name on the ballot in the case of a brokered convention? I understand that the Republican Convention is pretty complicated and essentially lawless in that the RNC (or the top brass) can essentially set whatever rules they feel like (such as keeping Ron Paul from getting the nomination in 2012.)
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Yeah, you pretty-much answered your own question: nobody knows for sure! Right now the rule that determines who gets on the ballot is called 40b, and states that a candidate must win a majority of delegates in at least 8 states to win the nomination. It looks right now like only Trump and probably Cruz will meet that threshold, but I'd expect those rules to change.
In fact the rules committee (made up of two delegates from each state) needs to approve a set of rules the week before the convention, and then these rules need to be approved by the delegates at the start of the convention. I've got no idea how the delegates who are on the rules committee are selected (oh hey, looks like it's one of those 'every state makes its own rules' situation), but a scenario where the Rules Committee can't even agree on a set or rules for the convention isn't out of the question.
I expect we'll see a relatively small ballot of eligible candidates on the first round: only Trump, or just Trump/Cruz (but I think you can delegates can declare support for other candidates, it just won't count). But if there are enough abstainees and nobody gets to 50% of the delegates, then I think we'll see a situation where additional candidates get nominated from the floor, where establishment delegates drop their support of Trump once first round requirements are done, and all hell breaks loose.
(I'm essentially a kid on the playground chanting 'fight! fight! fight!' at this point.)