Trump warns of riots if opponents wangle nomination
by James Nash,
2016-03-17 07:15:37.0
LOS ANGELES — Fresh off three more primary victories, Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would blow off the next Republican presidential debate and warned of riots if power brokers denied him the nomination at the convention even if he is leading in the delegate count.
The billionaire property developer, who held a narrow lead in Missouri and lost Ohio on Tuesday, faces the prospect of a floor fight at the party convention in July if he is leading in delegates, but falls short of the 1,237 needed for a majority.
"I think we’ll win before getting to the convention, but I can tell you, if we didn’t and if we’re 20 votes short, or if we’re at 1,100 and somebody else is at 500 or 400, cause we’re way ahead of everybody, I don’t think you can say that we don’t get it automatically," Mr Trump said on CNN.
"I think you’d have riots. I wouldn’t lead it, but I think bad things would happen," Mr Trump said, adding that the outcome would "disenfranchise" his supporters.
Mr Trump claimed to have been caught off guard by the next televised debate, set for Monday in Salt Lake City hosted by Fox News.
"We’ve had enough debates," he said on the network yesterday. "Nobody told me about it and I won’t be there." He said skipping the debate would allow him to speak at the American Israel public affairs committee policy conference in Washington.
Mr Trump skipped the debate held days before the Iowa caucuses on February 1 that Texas Senator Ted Cruz won.
Mr Trump had complained about Fox News’ treatment of him at the time, and instead held an event that he said raised money for veterans’ charities.
Fox spokesmen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ohio Governor John Kasich deprived Mr Trump of a clean sweep on Tuesday by winning his home state.
Mr Kasich said: "We are going to go all the way to Cleveland and secure the Republican nomination."
Senator Marco Rubio was beaten badly by Mr Trump in Florida and suspended his campaign. Mr Cruz, who said he intended to win 1,237 delegates before the convention, noted in a CNN interview that if he fell short, delegates would have discretion on their vote.
Mr Cruz’s strategists have been gaming scenarios in which they pick off delegates to keep Mr Trump from clinching the nomination in Cleveland. If no candidate gets to the convention with a majority, Mr Cruz could try to flip delegates pledged to Mr Rubio, Mr Kasich, and other candidates on the second ballot.
Forty-four states in the country allow a state party convention or executive committee to assign delegates to their preferred candidates.
Mr Kasich is banking on the possibility of convention rules being rewritten when the delegates arrive, allowing him to compete there. But, with the majority of delegates already claimed by Mr Trump and Mr Cruz, they may be unwilling to give Mr Kasich a chance.
"The Cruz folks would never allow the rules to be changed and, of course, we wouldn’t either," said Barry Bennett, a Trump convention strategist, according to Politico.
Republicans have not had a contested convention since 1976, when president Gerald Ford edged an insurgent Ronald Reagan.
Mr Trump led with 460 delegates heading into Tuesday’s elections, followed by Mr Cruz with 370, Mr Rubio with 163, and Mr Kasich with 63, according to AP. By yesterday, with the Missouri results still pending, Mr Trump stood at 621, Mr Cruz at 396, and Mr Kasich at 138.
The next Republican contests are in Arizona and Utah, the site of the debate, on March 22.
Arizona’s vote is a primary with 58 delegates and Utah’s is a caucus with 40. Arizona’s delegates, like most from other states, are free to vote for the candidate of their choice if no candidate enters the convention with a majority.
In both states, only registered Republicans will be eligible to vote. Ron Nehring, a spokesman for Mr Cruz, said this favoured the Texan.
Bloomberg
FRONTRUNNER: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a news conference in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday after his victory in the state put him further ahead in the race for the party’s nomination. Picture:BLOOMBERG
LOS ANGELES — Fresh off three more primary victories, Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would blow off the next Republican presidential debate and warned of riots if power brokers denied him the nomination at the convention even if he is leading in the delegate count.
The billionaire property developer, who held a narrow lead in Missouri and lost Ohio on Tuesday, faces the prospect of a floor fight at the party convention in July if he is leading in delegates, but falls short of the 1,237 needed for a majority.
"I think we’ll win before getting to the convention, but I can tell you, if we didn’t and if we’re 20 votes short, or if we’re at 1,100 and somebody else is at 500 or 400, cause we’re way ahead of everybody, I don’t think you can say that we don’t get it automatically," Mr Trump said on CNN.
"I think you’d have riots. I wouldn’t lead it, but I think bad things would happen," Mr Trump said, adding that the outcome would "disenfranchise" his supporters.
Mr Trump claimed to have been caught off guard by the next televised debate, set for Monday in Salt Lake City hosted by Fox News.
"We’ve had enough debates," he said on the network yesterday. "Nobody told me about it and I won’t be there." He said skipping the debate would allow him to speak at the American Israel public affairs committee policy conference in Washington.
Mr Trump skipped the debate held days before the Iowa caucuses on February 1 that Texas Senator Ted Cruz won.
Mr Trump had complained about Fox News’ treatment of him at the time, and instead held an event that he said raised money for veterans’ charities.
Fox spokesmen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ohio Governor John Kasich deprived Mr Trump of a clean sweep on Tuesday by winning his home state.
Mr Kasich said: "We are going to go all the way to Cleveland and secure the Republican nomination."
Senator Marco Rubio was beaten badly by Mr Trump in Florida and suspended his campaign. Mr Cruz, who said he intended to win 1,237 delegates before the convention, noted in a CNN interview that if he fell short, delegates would have discretion on their vote.
Mr Cruz’s strategists have been gaming scenarios in which they pick off delegates to keep Mr Trump from clinching the nomination in Cleveland. If no candidate gets to the convention with a majority, Mr Cruz could try to flip delegates pledged to Mr Rubio, Mr Kasich, and other candidates on the second ballot.
Forty-four states in the country allow a state party convention or executive committee to assign delegates to their preferred candidates.
Mr Kasich is banking on the possibility of convention rules being rewritten when the delegates arrive, allowing him to compete there. But, with the majority of delegates already claimed by Mr Trump and Mr Cruz, they may be unwilling to give Mr Kasich a chance.
"The Cruz folks would never allow the rules to be changed and, of course, we wouldn’t either," said Barry Bennett, a Trump convention strategist, according to Politico.
Republicans have not had a contested convention since 1976, when president Gerald Ford edged an insurgent Ronald Reagan.
Mr Trump led with 460 delegates heading into Tuesday’s elections, followed by Mr Cruz with 370, Mr Rubio with 163, and Mr Kasich with 63, according to AP. By yesterday, with the Missouri results still pending, Mr Trump stood at 621, Mr Cruz at 396, and Mr Kasich at 138.
The next Republican contests are in Arizona and Utah, the site of the debate, on March 22.
Arizona’s vote is a primary with 58 delegates and Utah’s is a caucus with 40. Arizona’s delegates, like most from other states, are free to vote for the candidate of their choice if no candidate enters the convention with a majority.
In both states, only registered Republicans will be eligible to vote. Ron Nehring, a spokesman for Mr Cruz, said this favoured the Texan.
Bloomberg
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