A Brokered Convention Scenario....

[Junkdrawer]

Imagine this:

The early primaries pick Hillary and, even though there are more primaries to come, she's 'locked in'.

Now, here comes the scandals. Fast and furious her past is revealed and it becomes clear that there's NO WAY she can win the General Election.

So, if this happens, is it possible that the convention could turn to a different candidate? :shrug:

[Horse with no Name]

1. I don't believe so.

And I believe this is exactly why they want her.

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. I belive so, yes

As I understand it, the candidate is actually appointed at the National Convention; all of the brouhaha before then is little more than "getting a sense of the party."

In Washington, the Presidential primary is totally ignored by the Democratic Party. A few weeks latter, we hold caucuses in each legislative district. Each district has a set number of delegates they will send to the state convention a few months latter. At the caucus, a vote is taken from the people in attendance from among the named candidates as well as "Uncommitted"; based on that vote, the district's delegates become "committed" to a particular candidate.

At the state convention, a vote is held to nominate a candidate. On the first ballot, delegates must vote for the candidate to whom they are committed (even if that candidate is Uncommitted. Don't think about it too much, you'll get a headache.) If a single candidate receives a majority of delegate votes in that ballot, that candidate receives the nomination of the state party and the entire delegation to National is committed to that one candidate (even if that candidate is Uncommitted. Don't think too much about it, you'll get a headache.) If there is no majority winner in that first ballot (which is pretty rare,) delegates politick and hold more ballots until there is a majority decision.

Fast forward to national. At some point, there will be a "roll call" of states. The same rules as state conventions apply. A spokesperson for each state will announce how many delegate votes they bring, and to which candidate those votes are committed. If one candidate gets the majority of votes after the first ballot, that candidate becomes the Presidential nominee of the party. If there is no majority vote, then the politicking and dealing come into play. I believe that at this point, delegates are free to vote their conscience on subsequent ballots. This continues until a candidate receives a majority of votes.

Typically, enough delegates are committed before the state convention for the state's nominee to be a foregone conclusion before the state's convention begins. Typically, enough delegates are committed by state conventions to make the national nominee a foregone conclusion before National begins.

BUT given the tremendous disapproval ratings of Congress, I think there is an excellent chance that Uncommitted will get a lot more delegates than in the past. It might be enough to prevent a few one-ballot nominations at the state conventions, which frees delegates to vote based on the latest information and scandals. That, in turn, could prevent the naming of a de facto nominee before National; without a majority of committed votes, delegates would again be free to vote as they see fit.

And wouldn't that be a cat among the chickens? :evilgrin:

[ThomWV]

3. The Convention has become meaningless