Does Palin automatically get the nomination? If not, does the republican with the second amount of delegates get the nomination? If so, does McCain’s name still show up on the ballot?
I used McCain as the example just because he looks terrible, and the stress cannot be good for him. In my opinion, the probability of him dying over the next 6 weeks does not round to 0.
If McCain dies before the general election, the RNC will choose a new nominee. This will almost certainly be the VP pick, but it’s not required. The Republican Electors chosen on election day will vote for whomever the RNC tells them to, unless they don’t.
If McCain dies after the general election but before the Electoral College meets, then it’s largely the same deal. The RNC has to pick a new nominee and the Electors will probably vote for that person. (Of course, if the Republicans don’t win a majority in the Electoral College then it’s moot.)
If I was McCain I wouldnt accept any hunting invitations from Sarah in the next few months- we know that VPs can be lethal shots 