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Thread: If Santorum delegates were to drop out...

  1. #1

    Lightbulb If Santorum delegates were to drop out...

    If a Santorum delegate were to drop out, can the alternate be bound to a different candidate?

    Let's say that you are a bound Santorum delegate and you drop out, is it possible that your alternate delegate would be bound to Ron Paul, and if so would that cause Ron Paul to gain a bound delegate in Florida? If not, is there anything similar that might have the same effect now that Santorum has suspended his campaign?



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  4. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by 40oz View Post
    If a Santorum delegate were to drop out, can the alternate be bound to a different candidate?

    Let's say that you are a bound Santorum delegate and you drop out, is it possible that your alternate delegate would be bound to Ron Paul, and if so would that cause Ron Paul to gain a bound delegate in Florida? If not, is there anything similar that might have the same effect now that Santorum has suspended his campaign?
    Bound delegates are bound to vote for the candidate they are representing on the first ballot unless that candidate drops out of the race. Personal preference, alternate delegates, etc has nothing to do with this. If Santorum (or for that matter any other candidate) decides to "drop out" then any of his bound delegates will become unbound and can vote their personal preference on the first ballot.

    Santorum has 202 bound delegates at present (he may gain more in upcoming contests, but that is unlikely). The reason he has suspended, instead of dropping out, is that by doing so he retains those bound delegates. If for some reason there was an unexpected occurrence (Romney getting sick and dropping out for health reasons, etc). then Santorum could be nominated from the floor at the RNC and have a shot at the nomination. It also helps him get a speaking spot at the convention, which is of value to him, since he will likely run again in 2016 or 2020.

  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by tbone717 View Post
    Bound delegates are bound to vote for the candidate they are representing on the first ballot unless that candidate drops out of the race. Personal preference, alternate delegates, etc has nothing to do with this. If Santorum (or for that matter any other candidate) decides to "drop out" then any of his bound delegates will become unbound and can vote their personal preference on the first ballot.

    Santorum has 202 bound delegates at present (he may gain more in upcoming contests, but that is unlikely). The reason he has suspended, instead of dropping out, is that by doing so he retains those bound delegates. If for some reason there was an unexpected occurrence (Romney getting sick and dropping out for health reasons, etc). then Santorum could be nominated from the floor at the RNC and have a shot at the nomination. It also helps him get a speaking spot at the convention, which is of value to him, since he will likely run again in 2016 or 2020.
    Even if he were to officially drop out many of the bound delegates would legally still have to vote for him at least on the first round unless he releases them and even then some states have laws requiring the delegates to remain bound on the first vote.

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by JebSanderson View Post
    Even if he were to officially drop out many of the bound delegates would legally still have to vote for him at least on the first round unless he releases them and even then some states have laws requiring the delegates to remain bound on the first vote.
    Right state rules do vary, however for the majority of them, when a candidate drops out his delegates are unbound. As far as I understand the rules, suspension allows him to retain his delegates, which means he can be nominated from the floor and get a speech. In my opinion, Santorum's goal at this point is to deliver a good speech at the RNC to set himself up for his next run.

  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by JebSanderson View Post
    Even if he were to officially drop out many of the bound delegates would legally still have to vote for him at least on the first round unless he releases them and even then some states have laws requiring the delegates to remain bound on the first vote.
    This is kind of my point. If they are bound to vote for Santorum then it's a wasted vote. Instead of wasting the vote, could the delegate drop out and be replaced by someone who is bound to Paul?

  8. #7
    Serious lack of reading comprehension here. I don't know the answer, but I understood the question.

  9. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by 40oz View Post
    This is kind of my point. If they are bound to vote for Santorum then it's a wasted vote. Instead of wasting the vote, could the delegate drop out and be replaced by someone who is bound to Paul?
    Not the way I understand it. The delegate is bound, the person acting as delegate is, for lack of a better term, a warm body representing the will of the people through their primary vote. Delegates only vote their personal preference once they are unbound. So if a delegate bound to Santorum were to drop out, or not show up, or whatever, he/she would be replaced by an alternate to stand in their place and that alternate would be bound to Santorum.



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  11. #9
    Thanks tbone. So the alternate becomes bound to Santorum, regardless. That's kind of what I thought.
    Last edited by 40oz; 04-14-2012 at 06:10 PM.



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