Posted on 04/13/2016 6:15:51 AM PDT by reaganaut1
Another week gone, another opportunity lost for Donald Trump to pick up Republican National Convention delegates.
Nebraska is tailor-made for Ted Cruz, and when the state holds its winner-take-all primary on May 10, party leaders say Trump is an all-but certain loser.
Facing those dim prospects, Trump’s best hope in the state may have been to get a few of his supporters on the list of people who will fill those delegate slots — supporters who, in later rounds of voting at a contested convention, would be inclined to abandon Cruz and help Trump.
But that’s where the billionaire appears to have missed his chance: Party officials say they saw virtually no organization by the mogul’s campaign last week when Republicans in all 93 Nebraska counties held local conventions. Those county conventions picked 800 delegates to May's Nebraska state convention, where 33 delegates to the national convention in Cleveland will be selected.
Because there was little resistance, many county conventions became Cruz pep rallies, according to interviews with party insiders and convention attendees.
“I didn’t see any Trump supporters,” said John Orr, chairman of the Washington County Republican Party. Party leaders, who attended dozens of the conventions around the state reported similar voids.
It could have been the reverse of a phenomenon that has plagued Trump for weeks. Cruz allies have repeatedly parachuted into states where Trump won primaries — South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee — and helped turn the mogul’s edge into a likely delegate deficit. That could put Trump at a steep disadvantage should he fail to acquire the 1,237 delegates he needs to clinch the nomination without a contested convention in July.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Cruz is more likely than Trump to run a competent general election campaign.
No, Nebraska is a progressive GOP plains state. Home of Senator “3rd party” Sasse. Prime Cruz Country.
Perhaps, though a general election campaign is more like mass marketing than the primaries, and so plays more to Trump’s strength. Unfortunately dealing with government is more like the primaries than the general election.
Even bright competent people face learning curves and should plan accordingly.
By May 10th, Cruz will be knocked out of the race mathematically, and the momentum will be with Trump after his North East sweep on April 19 and 26. Trump will also carry Indiana on May 3rd. Why would anyone vote for Cruz who has no chance of actually getting the nomination, except for the bitter #nevertrumpers?
Big win to maintain the status quo in politics.
The arrogance of Cruz & Sasse is the best asset he has in the few states that are competitive for Cruz.
“Trump’s best hope in the state may have been to get a few of his supporters on the list of people who will fill those delegate slots — supporters who, in later rounds of voting at a contested convention, would be inclined to abandon Cruz and help Trump.” I think it would be a hard task to find a Cruz pledged national delegate who would abandon him for Trump after the first round.
FUKC
FUPOLITICO
Trump’s problem is that he has felt that he can just bluster into a state, bowling people out of the way by the sheer force of his “terrific” and “huge” personality, and overwhelm his opponents by demeaning them and running them down with all sorts of insults and accusations. He will even go so far as to insult governors and other top officials of a state, and sometimes even insult the people of the very state he is trying to win, as he did in Iowa. Somehow, I don’t think it is going to go over very well in NE.
Politico = garbage. Let’s see what happens in NY, PA and others, as those contests are actually happening in April. Subsequent commentary will likely be based on new “facts on the ground”.
Some Trump supporter will post a YOUTUBE video of all the Cruz people and with the claim of how the system was rigged. Then hacks websites will headline “Disgusting Trump people shut out..”
However, politics is also a very personal game even at the presidential level. Here is one of my delegate stories: We were voting for Gov. candidates for ballot position. One guy coming in was awesome on the stump and was going to be the clear winner. In close, not impressive. In fact the dull guy on the stump was great in person. It really changed the vote and this is why parties have elections and conventions because politics is also personal.
With a mouth and temperament like that, you must be related to Donald Trump!
On April 19th and 26th, Donald Trump will win the vast majority of 365 delegates.
Think about that. He will pick up in excess of 300 delegates, perhaps as many as 340 of them.
Is the headline “Ted Cruz’s Missed Opportunity In New England States?” Is the headline “Ted Cruz Mathematically Prevented From Getting 1237 Delegates After 04/19”? Is the headline “Ted Cruz’s Campaign In Utter Collapse”? Of course not, the headline is Trump’s supposed.missed opportunity to grab Nebraska’s 36 delegates.
The big story isn’t Trump’s possible 340 delegate gain, it is Ted’s possible 36 delegate gain.
The big story isn’t Ted being mathematically eliminated from a possible 1237 delegates prior to the convention, it is Trump’s supposed fumble.
The media is so in the tank for Ted. The poor little guy is dead in the water, and yet rather than pull him out of the pool, they break out the inflatable floater devices for his upper arms to keep his mouth above water. And it’s not working.
Is the big story that Trump will have close to 1100 delegates after April 26th? No. Is the big story that Ted will be lucky to have 600? No.
The big story will be that Trump will lose 36 delegates in Nebraska that he desperately needs.
The bigger story will be that Cruz supporters will be assured of Ted prevailing at some point in part due to silliness such as this.
Cruz supporters, it’s time to get up. Oh, did we wake you in the middle of a good dream. Sorry. Reality beckons. It’s a beautiful day out.
Time to expend some of your energy on a good cause, like supporting the only man who can truly put an end to the uni-party that is systematically destroying our nation.
As it turns out, Trump does best in the east, including the entire south. Cruz does better in the west, with the notable exceptions of Arizona and Nevada.
It’s not east/west. Cruz does best where fewer people vote. Preferably, none at all. LOL.
Cruz is more likely than Trump to run a competent Presidency.
You mean in closed states, where democrats can’t help pick the republican candidate?
>Cruz is more likely than Trump to run a competent Presidency.
Cruz can’t even run a competent primary despite having unlimited funds, the GOPe and the so called conservitive media backing him. He’s lost vote after vote and has resorted to stealing deligates because he can’t get the votes he needs.
How’s be going to lead a nation if he can’t generate popular support?
You mean in closed states, where democrats can’t help pick the republican candidate?
Like closed primary Florida? Trump got 1.1 million votes here. Won every county but one against a favorite son sitting Senator. Now THAT is real grassroots support.
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