Friday, 10 June 2016

Anti-Trump Republicans seek last-ditch 'delegate revolt'

Donald Trump addresses supporters and the media following primary elections on June 7, 2016 in Briarcliff Manor, New York.
The faction of the GOP that is unhappy with Donald Trump as the party's presumptive nominee has one last plan to stop the mogul: staging an all-out delegate revolt at the Republican National Convention.


The far-fetched idea is the latest reflection of a campaign cycle that has been anything but ordinary, and stems from a continuing dissatisfaction among some conservative stalwarts with how Trump is behaving and running his campaign.
 
The effort comes at a rough time for the GOP. As the Democratic Party's heaviest hitters, including President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, line up behind Hillary Clinton and against Trump, Republicans have been forced to criticize their own nominee. Recent comments from Trump about a federal judge's Mexican heritage have drawn widespread rebuke and put GOP leaders in a corner as they defend their endorsement of Trump while disavowing his comments. 
 
One of the vocal advocates for a delegate revolt is conservative commentator and Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol, who has also been actively seeking a candidate to mount an independent bid against Trump, thus far to no avail.
Kristol tweeted late Thursday that the idea of a "conscience convention," where delegates are free to vote for whomever they want to, is also appealing.
 
"I've been focused on independent candidacy, & still am. But struck by sudden level of interest in possible delegate revolt at convention," Kristol tweeted. He added: "A Convention of Conscience in Cleveland would be quite something. Made easier by fact Trump only won minority of total primary votes anyway."

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