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Pedrique
10-15-2007, 11:59 AM
I've gotten some answers to this question a while back but was hoping for clarification regarding who will actually "win" the nomination?

Seems to me it could be possible that there might not be a clear cut favorite heading into the Republican National Convention. Each state sends delegates who are supposed to vote, correct?

Is there a requirement that they or a certain percentage of the delegates vote for the winner of their state, or do they all just vote their conscience, or some combination thereof? Is each state's rules different?

If, say, multiple candidates (more than 2) win a number of states - which I think is very possible at this stage - then will the RNC just be a bunch of backroom politicing to get the right man for the job? If so then I think we should be prepared to play dirty, whatever that means.

Corydoras
10-15-2007, 07:50 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_primary#Types_of_primar y
"Nearly all states have a binding primary, in which the results of the election legally bind some or all of the delegates to vote for a particular candidate at the national convention, for a certain number of ballots or until the candidate releases the delegates. A handful of states practice a non-binding primary, which may select candidates to a state convention which then selects delegates."

BUT see also
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/10/08/presidential_primary/index.html
"many states do not bind delegates to follow voter intent, especially in the case of a contested convention. If no single candidate gets a majority of the delegates on the first vote, then the horse-trading can begin. After the second ballot, most delegates are free to nominate Jared, that guy from the Subway commercials, if they so choose. The last contested convention occurred in 1984, when Democratic candidates Gary Hart and Jesse Jackson initially refused to yield to Walter Mondale."


So you see, there is a reason why we supporters of Ron Paul have been encouraged to become delegates.