More and more it appears we will have a contested convention and there will be rule changes at the convention. It’s likely the 8 state threshold will be cast aside so that someone other than Trump can secure the nomination. Currently Cruz has not yet met the threshold of 8 states and Trump is well past it with 20 states. (While Cruz has won 9 states, in three of those he won with a plurality, not a majority.) Meanwhile Governor Kasich has won exactly one state, his own, Ohio. So why is he still in the race when he can’t possibly meet the 8 state threshold now necessary for a nomination at the convention?
From thehill.com,
“Reality check: Kasich is running to force a contested convention so the Republican establishment can pick the candidate, instead of the voters. Kasich is staying in the race to thwart the democratic process: all that voting, all those special trips folks made to the polls. All those “I Voted” stickers people posted pictures of on social media — they’re all for show.
If he succeeds, one man — Kasich — will have had more say in who wins the nomination than the voice of tens of millions of voters. Political parties like it this way. That’s why Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton is winning a close election in the other primary. It’s all about the super delegates. It’s like Curly Haugland of the RNC Rules Committee said, “The political parties choose their nominees, not the general public.”
Louisiana is but one state where their primary may not matter at all, after taxpayers paid $3.5 million to vote. In the Louisiana primary Trump won over Cruz by 11,000 votes, 3.6%, and yet it may not matter. Their delegate counts are the same, 18. There are 5 unbound party officials who are likely to back Cruz and Rubio’s delegates are likely to do the same. Cruz could win the Louisiana delegation by 10 delegates. Why did the people of Louisiana even bother to vote? As expected, Trump is threatening to sue the Republican party over Louisiana’s rules.
Ted Cruz is objecting to a change the 8 state rule,
“I think that would be a terrible idea for the Washington power brokers to change the rules, because they’re unhappy with the candidates who the voters are voting for,” Cruz told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Tuesday. “It was the Washington establishment that put this rule in place. So now when the Washington establishment candidates are losing, they want to change the rules to try to parachute in some candidate who hasn’t earned the votes of the people. That is nothing short of crazy.”
“ConventionFacts.gop is a tool for voters to learn about convention delegates, rules, and how the overall process works in a simple, easy to understand format,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “Conventions are democracy in action and our Party’s gathering in Cleveland will be an exciting, transparent, and fair process.”
The end result may make Governor Kasich the Kingmaker at the convention after having won one state, or possibly two, if he carries Pennsylvania, which is doubtful but possible.
