{"id":1858,"date":"2016-03-12T12:51:33","date_gmt":"2016-03-12T18:51:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.cuchicago.edu\/spectator\/?p=1858"},"modified":"2016-03-12T12:51:33","modified_gmt":"2016-03-12T18:51:33","slug":"is-the-gop-headed-for-a-brokered-convention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spectator.cuchicago.edu\/?p=1858","title":{"rendered":"Is the GOP Headed for a Brokered Convention?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jordan Mann<\/p>\n

Wed. 9 March 2016<\/p>\n

A contested convention takes place whenever a single candidate for either party fails to secure a majority of the available delegates during the primary election. For the Democrats the number is 2,382 delegates for the Republicans it is 1,237. Most delegates are bound to specific candidates, determined by the primary elections in their states. However some delegates are not bound; unbound delegates can vote for any candidate at the convention. If a candidate is not chosen in the first round of voting, many more delegates become unbound (how many is determined by state rules) and the convention becomes brokered.<\/p>\n

Brokered conventions are rare; the last one took place in 1976 between Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. It is even more rare that a candidate coming out of a brokered convention wins the presidency; the last time that happened was in 1932 with the election of Franklin Roosevelt.<\/p>\n

There is a good chance the GOP will have a contested convention this coming July in Cleveland. At least that is one strategy of the GOP hierarchy to block the nomination of Donald Trump as the Republican candidate for the President. \u00a0If there is a contested convention and the voting goes past the first ballot, anyone who can show the support of the majority of the delegates from at least eight states can become a potential nominee (see rule forty<\/a> of the Republican National Committee). Keep in mind that the RNC can also change the rules anytime before the July convention.<\/p>\n

The GOP leadership seems to be as worried about Ted Cruz becoming the Republican nominee as Trump. But, they would be happy to let Mitt Romney make another run for the White House. Romney exposed the parties strategy in his speech last Thursday at the University of Utah when he said, “Given the current delegate selection process that means that I would vote for Marco Rubio in Florida, for John Kasich in Ohio, and for Ted Cruz or whichever one of the other two contenders has the best chance of beating Mr. Trump in a given state.” In other words, do not let Trump reach 1237 delegates before the convention.<\/p>\n

This coming election is shaping up to be the most exciting in decades.<\/p>\n