“but that applies only to the first ballot, right?”
First ballot you vote for who you are supposed to.
Second you must select from among the group of people who got X number of delegates. Only Cruz and Trump are at that level. Most believe Cruz would win this balloting if remotely similar in total than Trump.
Third, I don’t know. I think it starts going state-by-state depending on the rules.
(1) do you honestly believe the GOPe would let Cruz be the nominee? Especially considering (a) how they hate Cruz and (b) how Romney clearly stated the purpose of his Cruz nomination is simply to get to a open primary and not to give it to Cruz?
(2) If things were reversed, and Cruz was leading and the GOPe used Rubio against Cruz in the way they're using Cruz against Trump, and it gets to an open Convention and Rubio wins in the second round (even though he had more delegates in the first). Do you think (a) that would be the will of the people or the will of the party, and (b) would it be okay then when it is used against Cruz as it appears okay now when used against Trump?
I do not claim to have any significant political divination abilities. However, it is difficult for me to envision Cruz kowtowing to DC masters, after what he went through with the government shutdown. He is not even on speaking terms with McConnell, and vice versa.
Therefore this Romney endorsement looks and feels like a concession that GOPe is “on the ropes.”
In that case, Cruz and Trump are in the catbird’s seat. Separately, neither of them alone may be strong enough to prevail. But together, they can at least carry the Republican nomination with ease, which in consideration of the many Hillary weaknesses, puts them within spitting distance of the White House.
So IMHO, the time is right for a deal to be worked out between Trump and Cruz. In particular, Cruz would be great as a USSC justice once Trump wins the presidency. Cruz supporters would win, and Trump supporters would win. What a concept!
:-)