While he called the prospect “very unlikely” and tried to tamp down the possibility, Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus today wouldn’t rule out that the GOP presidential race would end in a brokered convention.
Priebus spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), the largest gathering of conservative activists in America. His discussion was moderated by television personality Sean Hannity.
Hannity repeatedly peppered Priebus with questions about deliberate efforts by some GOP insiders to force a brokered convention. In a brokered convention, no candidate comes to the convention with enough votes to lock up the nomination.
In subsequent rounds of voting, delegates are allowed to switch their allegiance to other candidates, and some Republicans are concerned that the strategy could be used to deny Donald Trump the nomination.
Just yesterday, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney encouraged Trump’s rivals to stay in the race to deny him the majority he’d need, forcing a brokered convention.
Priebus said he expects that, ultimately, “the people are going to decide” who gets the GOP nod. But he still put the odds of a brokered convention at between 10%-15%.
But it sounds like Priebus, who has pledged to stay neutral in the nomination, is hoping it won’t come to that.
“It’s a strategy… that people can use,” he said. “But I’d suggest it’s better to win races and earn delegates.”
Mr. Priebus, I am sure you remember me, Sustaining Member of the Republican National Committee, Mrs. Patricia Erisman, Member Number 324353150, Member since 2013. Way back when the nomination process was starting, I received a questionnaire from you (RNC) and I replied the questions asked were not the type of questions to be asking. I didn’t trust the Republican Party then and I definitely do not trust it now. Donald Trump was the best thing that ever happened for the American people. Is Washington, especially Congress, afraid of him? They’d better be and it sure seems that way. Mr. Romney is a disgrace to the American people and I voted for him when he ran for President and lost. We really need to clean out Washington and Mr. Trump is the only one who can do it. Otherwise, it would have been done. I hope you and the rest of the RNC get on track and help Mr. Trump, not destroy him.
Thank you !
This election is so much larger than Donald Trump. The Donald just happens to be in the right place at the right time. I for one am not counting on Donald Trump receiving any support from GOP folks. One thing Trump will get is the American Majority who will vote for him. Even if Trump has to spend his own money to campaign as an Independent, the American majority will support Trump and push him over the top by shear votes (ideally).
HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Long ago the Republican Party was spawned as a small splinter group separating from the Whig Party. And in 2016, The Common Sense Populous Party has spawned, but large as a tree trunk breaking away from the Republican party and Tea Party faction IF NECESSARY.
GOD BLESS AMERICA – WE THE PEOPLE
i think that Donald Trump should not be the president because what he has said or did to the mexican because I’m MEXICAN and i DO NOT VOTE FOR HIM BECAUSE WHAT HE SAID ABOUT MEXICAN AND MY NAME IS LESLIE AND I”m 15 Year Old AND I”M MEXICAN AND I DO NOT LIKE WHAT HE SAID I”M NOT SORRY OK IT WAS MEAN THAT DONALD TRUMP SAID OK AND I LOVE MEXICAN I THANK THAT THEY ARE COOL PEOPLE AND LIKE IT SAY IN THE BIBLE YOU SHOULD LOVE EVERYONE LIKE YOU LOVE YOUR SILE AND IF DONALD TRUMP DOSE NOT WHAT I SAID WILL TO BAD OK AND GOD BLESS EVERYONE THAT READS THIS OK.
It is nearly inconceivable to me that the RNC can be so arrogant! They just don’t seem to get it–the American people are sick and tired of the politicians in Washington. Yet “they” tell all of us who are voting for Donald Trump that we don’t know what we’re doing. What has happened to the majority rules of this country? The majority is speaking loud and clear and the old cronies of the Republican party–and Democrats, too–are telling us Donald Trump must be stopped!? “They” tell us he has done some not-so-nice things and should be stopped for the good of the country…..well, how ’bout we start throwing out all the bums in Washington NOW for all of the ungodly atrocities that are going on in Congress–like simply not doing the jobs they were sent to Washington to do! Bring on The Donald! The USA needs him more than ever! I, too, voted for Mitt Romney–HE LOST. Get over it, move on. VOTE TRUMP
It is time for you stupid republicans to back the only man that can win and that is trump. you idiots need to get behind trump and stop trying to put him down. trump could win without the republican party wake up before its to late. this man has the backing of the American people. What the problem is trump is his own man and not a puppet for the republican party, after what mitt Romney said he should be thrown out of the party, he sure kissed up to trump in 20012 for his money Romney is a loser.
Romney is disloyal and a disgrace. He is a very poor loser. Trump will win without the Mormon cult vote. The fake Christians line up behind the liar Cruz who is constitutionally ineligible to hold the office of President. Trump is REAL Christian. He is “salt” and ” light ” and is doing his part to shake this fraudulent establishment. Cruz is a pus sy. He could never stand up to the media like Trump. Didn’t you see little Bushie boy put his tail between his legs and withdraw when Trump mentioned the missing 28 pages of the 9/11 report? Do you want status quo corruption? Glenn beck is a dry drunk alcoholic codependent jealous of Trump. He swings from raging anger to blubbering crying to anger to emotional meltdown, back and forth. Why would anyone listen to his dysfunction?