This is definitely not my field of expertise so I may have a dumb question here...
Why is it assumed that if Trump doesn’t reach the magic number on the first ballot, he can’t be nominated?
Is there some reason the delegates would, on a second ballot, abandon the candidate who has (as in all likelihood he will) the greatest number of popular votes?
The scuttlebutt is - and has been - that Trump is an outsider. Not part of the GOP-e. And as such, there will be back room deals and dirty tricks played to keep Trump from being the nominee. Even IF he reaches that 1,237 number.