Brokered convention - who wants to explain this

[AdamT]

We keep hearing talk of a brokered convention? Please someone explain how this all goes down. Has there been one in recent times? I would like to know how this works, and how we could win if it were to happen.

[pilby]

i don't know if it's happened very recently. but here's an interesting read about a brokered convention where someone was nominated who wasn't even running (who then went on to become president):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1880_Republican_National_Convention

[JustBcuz]

We keep hearing talk of a brokered convention? Please someone explain how this all goes down. Has there been one in recent times? I would like to know how this works, and how we could win if it were to happen.

OK if no one gets 50.00001% of the delegates at the Republican Convention, there's gonna be some serious wheeling & dealing. For the first vote, most delegates are bound (by law) to vote for a certain candidate. They'll probably vote three or four times before the delegates are 'released' and can vote for whoever they want. The candidates may also end up cutting deals like a VP slot or a cabinet position in order to decide upon a nominee.

This is why we want every single delegate we can get. Even if one of our delegates is 'bound' to Mitt Romney, after a few votes he can switch to Ron Paul.

Dr. Paul also holds the threat of a 3rd party run as a trump card.

...and if the other candidates hate each other enough, they'll be more willing to send delegates our way...or if Dr. Paul is a delegates 2nd choice they could come over to us.

Lots of ways to win (or lose) in a brokered convention. Just about anything could happen. Theoretically, the nominee might not have even been running...they could bring someone off the sidelines to run in the General Election.

There hasn't been a brokered convention since the '50s.

[AdamT]

Thanks for shedding some light. Things could get pretty interesting.....

[gjdavis60]

All the more reason to stop obsessing over Iowa and get on with the task at hand!

[Flirple]

OK if no one gets 50.00001% of the delegates at the Republican Convention, there's gonna be some serious wheeling & dealing. For the first vote, most delegates are bound (by law) to vote for a certain candidate. They'll probably vote three or four times before the delegates are 'released' and can vote for whoever they want. The candidates may also end up cutting deals like a VP slot or a cabinet position in order to decide upon a nominee.

This is why we want every single delegate we can get. Even if one of our delegates is 'bound' to Mitt Romney, after a few votes he can switch to Ron Paul.

Dr. Paul also holds the threat of a 3rd party run as a trump card.

...and if the other candidates hate each other enough, they'll be more willing to send delegates our way...or if Dr. Paul is a delegates 2nd choice they could come over to us.

Lots of ways to win (or lose) in a brokered convention. Just about anything could happen. Theoretically, the nominee might not have even been running...they could bring someone off the sidelines to run in the General Election.

There hasn't been a brokered convention since the '50s.

Well done explaining!

[jorlowitz]

4 guys walk into a room. One has wheels, the other seats, the third keys, the fourth a cassette tape.

Someone's goes home driving a car. Someone gets shotgun. Someone gets the trunk. Guy with the tape walks. It's like that (but with delegate votes)

[Thomas Paine]

I shit you not when I say that in a brokered convention, all bets are off regardless of who won what state through the primaries. Each state contingent of delegates will be up for grabs. Within each state contingent there will be factions led by various party bosses wheeling and dealing. Anyone could be nominated at a brokered convention; even someone who has not participated in the primaries. I would not be surprised if Newt Gingrich is sitting back and hoping that there is a brokered convention. A brokered convention will be very exciting, and also very ugly. It will be very important for Ron Paul to win enough states in the primaries so that he can walk into a brokered convention with some leverage. If Romney, Huckabee, McCain, Thompson, and Giuliani have so alienated the GOP rank and file throughout the course of the primaries, then Ron Paul may have a chance if he appears to have remained above the fray and if he has campaign operatives at the convention who know how to get their hands dirty behind the scenes.