INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

GOP Plotting To Take Down Donald Trump, Claims The Primary And Caucus Votes Do Not Count

By Noelle Nicholas
Published on: 15:50 PST, Mar 16, 2016

Donald Trump has been the frontrunner in the presidential nomination race almost since he announced his bid for the White House. As we grow closer to the end of the nomination process, those in the GOP establishment seem desperate to boot Donald Trump out of the race.

Apparently, unless Donald Trump gains all 1,237 delegates needed to secure the Republican presidential nomination, there is a high chance that the Republican delegates will usher Ohio Governor John Kasich into the sweet spot and catapult him into the lead as the Republican nominee.

How can this happen? Donald Trump is so far ahead of rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich, how could he not secure the nomination? It seems, according to the Republican National Convention rules, if Donald Trump leads the other candidates but finishes with less than 1,237 delegates, it’s anybody’s game. At this point, delegates will vote for the nominee based on their own personal opinions. There are no rules binding them to cast their ballots in favor of the majority vote of the general public. Therefore, those opposed to Donald Trump could vote against him even if Trump won the primary in their home state.

In a truly shocking comment, Curly Haugland, GOP delegate from North Dakota, says when the people vote in the primaries and caucuses, those votes do not count, reports the Daily Caller. Haugland is one of 112 Republican delegates who reside in states that do not hold a primary or caucus prior to the presidential nomination. The following is an excerpt of a letter Haugland sent to the RNC.

“As most of you know, I have been defending the right of the delegates to the Republican National Convention to vote according to their personal choice in all matters to come before the Republican National Convention, including the vote to nominate the Republican Candidate for President, for several years.”

So why go through all the hassle of holding primaries and caucuses, of having winners and losers, if our votes don’t count anyway? Here is Curly’s opinion on that topic.

“Without the use of force to bind the votes of delegates to the results of the primary process, primaries are nearly worthless ‘beauty contests’.”

According to CNBC, Haugland says the common belief that the presidential nominee is determined by the voters is a myth propagated by the media.

NBC News reports that Donald Trump has met this potential catastrophe head on. If The Donald is the clear winner, by the votes of the people, and the Republican National Convention does not name him as the presidential nominee, Donald Trump supporters would make their displeasure known.

“I think bad things would happen, I really do. I believe that. I wouldn’t lead it but I think bad things would happen.

“I think you’d have riots. I think you’d have riots. I’m representing a tremendous many, many millions of people.”

How much truth is behind Haugland’s words? It seems ridiculous to think of all the time, money, and energy spent on primaries if the outcome matters not the least.

At any rate, this appears to be a last ditch effort of the Republican establishment to block Donald Trump’s rise to office. Donald Trump is not a career politician, and therefore not an inside member of the GOP club. If the primaries mean nothing else, they at least confirm the desire of the American people to see Donald Trump lead our country.

[Image credit: Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press]

Share this article: GOP Plotting To Take Down Donald Trump, Claims The Primary And Caucus Votes Do Not Count
republican party Donald Trump
More from Inquisitr