If the big Cheeto decides that for whatever reasons he cannot run for a second term, what rules, etc. are in place that would permit the selection of a different nominee? Don’t some people, e.g. William Wald, have some electors sworn to him? How do Republican party rules work in this situation?
Moved to Politics and Elections from GQ.
I guess the question is - before or after the convention?
I presume before the convention, the delegates are free to vote for anyone who the party approves are a candidate - which would probably be one hand-picked nominee?
After the candidate is selected and it’s the federal election, presumably it’s up to each state to decide what happens with names on the ballot their electors. Ditto for after the election - the electoral college could theoretically vote for anyone they want (barring any ruling from SCOTUS expected in the next short while about faithless electors).
(IIRC Anderson running in 1980 I think it was, went through a plethora of lawsuits to establish the requirements of who was allowed on the November ballot in each state.)
At the convention, the delegates can nominate and vote for whomever they want. But many of the Trump delegates were chosen specifically because they are the most faithful to him — i.e. the Trumpiest Trumpers who ever Trumped. They are unlikely to just calmly go along with whomever the party leaders decide is the best consensus candidate. It’ll be a shit show. I would LOVE to see it.
Are write-ins allowed at the convention? (I recall from the news the vote being a voice call-out, but I don’t think there’s been a contested convention since I began paying attention to the news). I presume to be a candidate for nominee, the party has to approve them? I recall something about the candidates before the primaries filing nomination papers with the party?and then I assume the RNC brass have the right to make anyone they choose as a candidate for nominee?
Also, I don’t recall ever hearing an answer about what happens to the primary delegates for a candidate who dropped out of the race… are they essentially free agents?
The thing is, Republicans and Democrats have different rules about nominating candidates, delegates, etc. Who knows what the Republicans will/can do if they don’t have a candidate by the time of the convention?
So true. Would they try to put up the person best suited for the job, or would they put up the person most likely to bring in the votes…even if that person was Obnoxio The Clown?
Politics is politics. For example, Romney was not a popular nomination for some Republican factions because some factions favour a “devout Christian” and question whether a Mormon is actually a Christian. When factors like that influence decisions, any rational mathematical discussions are irrelevant.
The less time and the higher the stakes, the more vicious infighting will become… but every party also has in back of mind that “whether he/she can win” is always a significant factor. Anything that would attract or repel votes matters.
The key question here, in answer to the OP - is “what happens if the person with all the delegates drops out?” Presumably any state that had a primary, and most that didn’t, have delegates pledged to Trump. If for some reason he was not running, what do the rules say about those delegates?
And should the nominated person - after the convention - withdraw, what are the rules for the party making a substitution on the November ballot?
Note that former AG Ashcroft once lost to a dead man, when the man he was running against in an election died in a plane crash 3 weeks before the election (Carnahan, in 2000). Mississippi election law said the name could not be changed on the ballot at that point in time. Carnahan won (no comment) and the acting governor appointed his widow to fill the seat.