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By staying in, Cruz has a vested interest in keeping rule 40 in place.

The need for the support of a majority of the delegates in eight states is only relevant for the first ballot. After the first ballot the "pledged" delegates can support whomever they want. Thus on a second or subsequent ballot a GOPe candidate could get the support of a majority of the delegates in eight states, be nominated, and win with a majority of the vote of the delegates.

If neither Trump nor Cruz can win the nomination with a majority of the pledged delegates on the first ballot then neither of them will get the nomination. Although I like Cruz, at this point all that he does by staying in is raise the possibility that Trump will not win on the first ballot and thus allowing the GOPe pick someone else than either of them on a subsequent ballot.

” Although I like Cruz, at this point all that he does by staying in is raise the possibility that Trump will not win on the first ballot and thus allowing the GOPe pick someone else than either of them on a subsequent ballot.”

I would prefer just about anyone to Trump. I think Trump will lead Republicans into losing the House & Senate, along with losing the Presidency to a satanic harpie.

Get out side the echo chamber of Trump-mania and talk to normal people about Trump.

I also think Trump will turn on conservatives. He has no THOUGHTS on anything. A man who supported DeBlasio in 2013 is NOT a conservative!

The need for the support of a majority of the delegates in eight states is only relevant for the first ballot. After the first ballot the "pledged" delegates can support whomever they want.

My information is that your assertion is just not true, the rule is not limited to one vote by its language:

Each candidate for nomination for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States shall demonstrate the support of a majority of the delegates from each of eight (8) or more states, severally, prior to the presentation of the name of that candidate for nomination.

While it is true that the rules committee can change that rule it is also true that it will be difficult to change the rule given that most of the delegates are likely to be supporters of Trump or Cruz and would have a vested interest in keeping the rule as it stands to prevent consideration of another candidate.

I have heard many Trump supporters acknowledge that many of his delegates would gladly switch their votes away from Trump if they were permitted to do so. They might well be obligated against their desires to vote for Trump on the first ballot, but they are probably not obligated to vote to oppose or support rule changes, even on the first ballot (I presume the rules would have to be adopted by the body of the convention which would be controlled by Trump and Cruz).

These delegates could combine with GOPe delegates to amend the rule and abolish the protection which Trump alone now enjoys but which might well be extended to Cruz. The question is, whether Trump will stand with Cruz against the GOPe. More likely, Trump will do what he has always done buy politicians, buy leftist politicians and GOPe Rinos. As between Cruz and Trump, Trump's biography confirms that he is more likely to sell out. Cruz' biography confirms that he will stand alone against the establishment.

Trump supporters want you to believe that if you don't vote for Trump on the first of ballot or if you don't give him enough votes to reached 1237, the way is open to parachute in a new nominee. If he were forthright, Trump would tell you to keep the rule of 8 to prevent just that.

Trump won't say (yet), his supporters won't say, he has already threatened to bolt the party but that is never held against him here in this forum. But God help any Cruz supporter who lets slip that he will not vote for Trump if he is nominated.

If Trump does not qualify under the rules, the nomination should go according to the rules, just as it did on behalf of Abraham Lincoln.

Thanks for a thoughtful TRUE assessment of the situation (although I disagree with your statement about neither getting the nomination after the first ballot). Insults never carry the strength of truth but are much more easily spewed onto a forum page.

It seems like just not so long ago I was marveling at how many smart , insightful, funny and provocative people were on this forum and now it is filled with the opposite ilk.

I think rule 40 is for every round of voting.