Thanks! That's a great comment, and does seem a plausible scenario.
In 1976 the #1 guy ended up winning, though. And he won on the first ballot.
Ford had 1,187 Ronald Reagan's 1,070 delegates. 1,130 were needed to win.
The equivalent scenario would be for Trump to come in with 1,180 votes and get 1,280 votes on the first ballot. That seems the most likely way for Trump to win now, rather than achieving his majority strictly on the pledged delegates.
>>>The equivalent scenario would be for Trump to come in with 1,180 votes and get 1,280 votes on the first ballot. That seems the most likely way for Trump to win now, rather than achieving his majority strictly on the pledged delegates.<<<
If the convention boils down to a selection of Trump or Cruz and Trump wins, I will support him. And if the opposite is true, I think it’s easier for a Trump guy to support Cruz (than say Paul Ryan or Jeb). The initial race started out with a dozen candidates and things were volatile. If we need to pick a guy in Cleveland, I think the only way for unity is to go with the top 2. Go with a third person and you will probably tick off everybody who wanted Trump or Cruz.
It is a convention of delegates. The delegates are establishment people in the party even when selected for Trump or Cruz.
After they become unbound in their own minds, they will select someone who seems to be in line with their perception of their duty to the task they have undertaken.
God help us all.