Could the GOP be heading towards an Open Convention?

[BrentWil]

There seems to be no front runner and they don't seem to be coming together around any of the crazies. Could they be heading to an open convention? If they are, does that help us?

[yellowcanine]

1. Given that there hasn't been a single caucus or primary it is a bit early to talk about an open

convention.

[BrentWil]

2. Well, yeah... but

1. I was trying to think of the best case for us... I think this could be it.

2. Perry seems to be weaker then thought.... There are a bunch of clowns that could get delegates.

[spirit of wine]

3. $40 and a crayon

Sign on up!

[BrentWil]

4. What? NT

[SheilaT]

5. Oh, gosh. How many delegates to their nominating

convention have been selected thus far?

Every single four years since 1968 (which was when I first started noticing), there's a recurring fantasy that one or the other political parties will have an open convention or at least go more than one ballot. The reality is that both parties design their primaries and caucuses so that an open convention is highly, highly unlikely to happen. Especially the Republicans, who have a winner-take-all system for their primaries, which means the Republican nomination gets tied up a lot earlier than the Democratic one.

It's still a very long time until next summer. The Republicans have plenty of time, and lots of things like the on-going "debates" to help their rank-and-file decide who they want.

[yellowcanine]

6. Yes. You laid it out better than I did. Primaries didn't use to mean that much. But now they do.

The days of the smoke filled back room deals are gone. And that is a good thing. The present system is much more democratic for both parties. The only flaw is that too few voters take primaries seriously and make sure they vote. But I would rather have a modest number of primary voters deciding things than a handful of party bigwigs in the pocket of the big donors making the picks.

[DCBob]

7. I think its entirely possible that Jebby Bush will be nominated at the convention..

in fact that may be the plan already in effect.

[Wolf Frankula]

8. No. By the time the convention rolls around the Rethugs will

have a nominee. They have a lot of winner take all primaries, and late May, the nominee will be known. NO Republican convention has decided anything of note since 1948, when Dewey didn't win on the first ballot. No Democratic Convention has decided anything of note since 1956, when Stevenson couldn't make up his mind and threw the Vice Presidential nomination to the convention.

This open convention/brokered convention fantasy pops up every four years. There are no more brokers.

Wolf Frankula