Posted on 04/04/2016 7:20:31 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
FARGO, N.D. — Ted Cruz’s preferred candidates won the vast majority of convention delegates available in North Dakota over the weekend, taking 18 of 25 slots in the state in another show of organizational strength over Donald Trump.
It’s still not clear how loyal all of Cruz’s slate will be if the Republican nomination heads to a contested convention in Cleveland, as several included on it told POLITICO they were only leaning toward Cruz, or simply opposed to Trump.
But the result was bad news for Trump, who may need unbound delegates like those in North Dakota to lift him above the 1,237 delegate threshold to secure the GOP nomination this summer on the initial ballot. Only one of the 25 delegates selected Sunday has publicly signaled he might back Trump.
“This is a catastrophic outcome for the Trump campaign in North Dakota,” said Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Cruz. "Just when you thought the Donald’s horrible, very bad, no good week couldn’t get any worse, it just did.”
The North Dakota delegation has been heavily sought after because they are free agents from the first ballot in Cleveland, able to support Cruz, Trump or John Kasich. State rules do not, however, require to name the candidate they support before being elected — leaving their votes in question up until the convention in July.
The selection of delegates came after a hard-fought weekend of schmoozing and arm-twisting, as Cruz delivered a keynote convention address, Carly Fiorina campaigned on his behalf all weekend, and Ben Carson spoke for Trump. Kasich’s campaign sent former Sen. Gordon Humphrey of New Hampshire as their top surrogate but the state party gave him an untimely speaking slot after the delegate ballots had been cast.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
In before the “Cruz STOLE all the votes!!!”
Ted does great in states where the great unwashed don’t get to vote.
got nothing to do with organization when insiders prefer insider candidates. This is just gop version of superdelegates
Organizational strength is NOT the equivalent of voter strength and sentiment. This just delays the inevitable and introduces the potential of aspersions of how he got to his delegate total. As a former Cruz supporter, I am not amused one bit.
Perhaps if enough people vote on the FR caucus poll and yell conspiracy loud enough the good delegates in North Dakota will change their mind. /s
Horse biscuits! It is an expected outcome considering the geography and the convention/caucus format.
It is less of a disaster for Trump than the loss of the Arizona primary was for Ted Cruz. North Dakota GOP politics are only a little to the left of those of Texas. The states are comparable in many ways-- oil, cowboys, wide open spaces and politeness which is repelled by Donald Trump's rough edges. Throw in the format (party activists only) and the outcome here is less surprising than Texas.
I love it when a plan comes together.
RNC new mantra — “Look the little people are voting. How quaint.”
In before the “Cruz STOLE all the votes!!!”
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No, this shows just how much Ted Cruz is tuned in to the establishment way of doing things. He is not just some populist rabble rouser! No siree! He is bedrock Republican establishment with a long history of working inside Republican campaigns.
I just hope when he wins and starts to govern like an establishment Republican, you folks don’t get depressed.
They told you if you gave them the House it would be different, and it wasn’t. They told you if you gave them the Senate it would be different, and it wasn’t. Now they are telling you if you give them the Presidency, it will be different? I mean, come on! You have already been fooled TWICE! Why make it three times?
Mrs. Submareener says: RNC stands for Really Nasty Cheaters.
*Yawn*
Cruz lost 7 delegates that he couldn’t afford to lose.
Yep.
But let’s be honest here. It’s no longer about supporting Cruz. This is a vendetta and seething hatred against Trump and his supporters; nothing more.
But let’s be honest here. It’s no longer about supporting Cruz. This is a vendetta and seething hatred against Trump and his supporters; nothing more.
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Ding...ding...ding!
No, this just shows that Cruz has a much better organization on the ground that understands the rules. Trump is playing catch-up at this point. But I understand he has the "best people."
There are still 19 unpledged to allocate.
Actually, my last was incorrect. They are all unbound, this is simply that nine of the 28 said who they plan to vote for at the moment. They don’t have to keep that promise.
blah, blah, blah.
You think Trump will govern like a conservative, right?
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