Trump first GOP candidate to qualify for 2016 POTUS nominiation

Here is a nice little tidbit in the Wash Post that explains how Donald Trump has become the first, and may be the only, candidate to actually qualify for the nomination. It is not just the delegates but having to win the 'majority' of eight states. Trump has won more than eight states until today but with the caucus is the Northern Marianas he now has 8 states that he has won the majority in making him eligible for the nomination.

See, in the Northern Marianas, Tuesday began 14 hours before it began on the East Coast. So its Super Threesday caucus was done overnight, and Trump won all nine delegates. In doing so, the Northern Marianas became the eighth state or territory in which Trump won a majority of the delegates. (The others: South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Hawaii and Mississippi.) And according to the rules of the Republican convention, a candidate must "demonstrate the support of a majority of the delegates from each of eight (8) or more states, severally, prior to the presentation of the name of that candidate for nomination." No eight states, no nomination.

That's the fabled Rule 40, which governs how the nomination process works, down to the length of time allotted candidates who wish to speak to their nominations. The eight-state thing is in section B of the rule, and is a pretty high bar to meet. (The party’s rules count territories as states under Rule 1.) After all, it's not that Trump hasn't won at least eight states; he has. But only in eight (including the Marianas) does he have a majority of delegates. In the others he has won -- New Hampshire, Nevada, Arkansas, Vermont, Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana and Michigan -- he has a plurality of delegates. Not good enough.

For the record, Cruz will need to win the majority in four more states to qualify and Rubio will need six. Based on this rule, and how polling looks, Trump could very well be the only qualified candidate at the convention.

The odd part is that the rules can 'change' as the GOP Rules committee can change them at anytime, and in the case of this year, I am sure there will be a different criteria put forth. Basically, The Rules Committee could make the nomination rules into nearly anything they wish. This is the GOP equivalent of the DNC super delegate in my eyes. All of that work by the candidates...and the rules are either changed or not applied.

a reply to: matafuchs


Interesting. yet another reason I have removed myself from the Republican/Conservative mechanisms. They are as fraudulent as the left's efforts.

a reply to: nwtrucker

Yeah, I knew about the limit but did not know they can change whatever the Rules are...

21 states have already had democratic primaries and Hil has 12 of those and Bernie has 9. So ummm. I guess in the GOP race

originally posted by: Sillyolme
21 states have already had democratic primaries and Hil has 12 of those and Bernie has 9. So ummm. I guess in the GOP race

Yes, I'm pretty sure that's why the thread title refers to him being "The first GOP candidate..."

To all those Trump haters...

a reply to: dogstar23

Humbly begging your forgiveness.

A Thought:

I hear rumors that if Trump loses it will cause civil unrest, I don't think so in fact the opposite.

Even though the propagandamedia tries to blame Trump supporters for all the chaos surrounding his campaign, it is the opposite.

IF TRUMP makes it through, I think then we will see civil unrest.

They can just change those rules at the convention. The only reason it's 8 states is because they made the number bigger, last time, to block ron paul from being eligible. They make the rules new every cycle.

Looks like the fix is already starting.

Reports: Trump Left Off Some Florida Ballots; “Dozens of Complaints”