Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus sent out an update from the Republican leaders meeting this week in Florida. Priebus called for party unity. He reiterated that the Republican nominee will have to win over 1,237 delegates and not just a plurality of delegates to win the nomination.
The country’s largest #NeverTrump PAC is meeting with Republican leaders behind closed doors today in Florida.
Priebus also points to the 2009 Obamacare vote by Democrats as an example of majority rule but forgot to mention the Democrats did not have enough votes (59 in the senate) but pushed the legislation through anyway.
From his press release:
As our nomination process goes on, we are preparing for all possible scenarios. We might have a nominee by July. Or we might have a nominee through the balloting process at the Convention.
The rules say you have to have 1,237 delegates to be the nominee. We aren’t going to hand the nomination to anyone with a plurality, no matter how close they are to 1,237. You need a majority. Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
We all remember the fight in 2009 over Obamacare when it looked like Obama was going to be 3 votes short. We didn’t say, “Oh he’s almost there, let’s give it to him.” He had to get a majority.
Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Where the law of the majority ceases to be acknowledged, there government ends.”
If we don’t abide by the majority, we don’t honor one of the bedrock values of American government. Majority rule is as American as apple pie or Opening Day.
If no candidate reaches a majority of bound delegates during the primary process, we will go to an open…or contested…Convention.
The balloting process is nothing new to our party. It’s the way we have done things since the 1800s.
It took Abraham Lincoln three ballots to get a majority in 1860. Heck, it took me seven to get elected Chairman of the RNC!
The process of writing the rules will also be completely above board.
Having a committee write a set of rules that govern the body isn’t unique to the Republican National Committee—it’s true for the Boy Scouts the Rotary Club, or any other group that has organizational structure.
It only makes sense that the 2016 Convention is governed by rules written by 2016 delegates.
The rules will be presented to and voted on by the entire slate of delegates. Everyone is going to get a chance to see – and vote on – the proposed changes.
Fairness and transparency will be the hallmark of our Convention.
The whole world will be watching the democratic process at work and we are excited to show off the best our party has to offer.
Regardless of when we get a nominee, the bottom line is Republicans will leave Cleveland united and ready to win in November.
Priebus did not mention the current lawsuit against him and the GOP for allowing Ted Cruz to steal Florida delegates won by Donald Trump.
