In 2000 Bush easily won the nomination. The general election has no bearing on this discussion but in that case, the state of Florida was re-counted and still Bush won. Again, you make apples and oranges argument.
There is simply no way Trump gets to 1100-1236 delegates and gets frozen out. Theoretically, yes it’s possible but in reality, it’s just not going to happen. By having hundreds of delegates more than his closest rival, Trump will be in best position to capture what he needs from the unbounded delegate pool to go over the top. It’s silly to think that Trump will fall just short and then be frozen in place as Cruz piles up some 500-600 delegates unopposed to zoom by Trump. Not going to happen! Especially since Cruz has done so poorly in Deep South, Northeast and Battleground states.
Cruz might be the cat’s meow in places like Kansas, Wisconsin and states where the establishment controls the delegate selection process but that is not going to translate into a win in a general election where the Democrats will win in a landslide should Cruz be the nominee.
Hey, screw your dismissal of the most conservative states in the union such as Texas and Utah.
If Trump fails to hit 1237 delegates, he does NOT have a majority of the delegates, and does not represent a majority of the party.
The majority rule (in place since the party’s founding) is crucial as only someone whom can unify a broad coalition of the party. It is imperative so the party can get behind that person for the general.
If someone is unable to obtain a majority of the delegates in the nomination process, how could one possibly expect them to win in the general?
He better hopes he hits 1237, or else he is toast, because there are PLENTY (about 60-70%) of folks in the party whom do NOT like him, myself included.
If I were a delegate, I’d vote against him.