I don’t think a brokered convention is possible under the rules in effect since about 1972. Nobody controls delegates, and they are free to vote however they want after a cettain number of ballots have resulted in no nomination.
Under the old rules, and I’m old enough to remember them, primaries counted for very few delegates, and state party bosses selected most of the delegates. I think that still happens, but not as much.
Governors would run as “favorite son” candidates, which gave them control of all their state delegates. In states where the governor belonged to the other party, I’m not sure but I think it was the state party bosses who selected the delegates. After a long, drawn-out process placing all the candidates in nomination, the charade of voting was carried out. Most of the time it was decided in back room deals before a single vote was officially cast.
I can’t see that happening. I think the delegates would not go along with it.
Are there two types? There is the smoke-filled back room of establishment GOP types picking the RINO for us. Then, there is the brokering that would go on between the freed-up delegates, as it dawns on them that vote after vote, no candidate is getting to a majority. Isn't that a "brokered" convention as well, and if stalemated, a newcomer could result?