Republican National Committee rules empower the GOP to replace President Trump as the party’s nominee for the White House should he die, drop out, or become incapacitated before the Nov. 3 elections.
Trump, 74, has contracted COVID-19, a disease that has been particularly deadly for Americans in his age bracket. The president was only experiencing minor symptoms Friday within hours of his diagnosis. But the development prompted political insiders to examine how his illness might impact his reelection campaign against Democratic nominee Joe Biden in a worst-case scenario.
The RNC appears prepared. Under Rule No. 9, RNC members would meet in the event of Trump’s death, incapacitation, or if he dropped out of the race, and hold a vote to select a new presidential nominee. If necessary, RNC members would vote in a new nominee for vice president, too — for example, if Vice President Mike Pence were chosen for the top of the ticket.
According to the rules, the vote would be decided by each state’s delegation of RNC members, which is comprised of the state’s RNC committeeman, its separate RNC committeewoman and the chairman of the state party. Additionally, each state’s delegation of three RNC members would wield votes equal to however many nominating delegates were seated from that state during the August convention in Charlotte that renominated Trump and Pence.
It appears the RNC would be authorized to replace Trump, Pence, or both even after the Nov. 3 election. For instance, if either or both died, dropped out, or were incapacitated after the election, the RNC, through Rule No. 9, could provide a new candidate, or candidates, for the Electoral College to vote on when the electors in each state meet to cast their votes on Dec. 14.
Even though voting in the presidential election is already underway, this process is applicable.
That is because a vote for Trump or Biden on the presidential ballot is technically a vote for the electors the Democratic and Republican parties and their allies campaigns have appointed to the Electoral College. Under the Constitution, Republican electors would be empowered to vote for Trump’s replacement upon the convening of the Electoral College in states where Trump won more popular votes than Biden.
From the RNC rulebook:
RULE NO. 9 Filling Vacancies in Nominations (a) The Republican National Committee is hereby authorized and empowered to fill any and all vacancies which may occur by reason of death, declination, or otherwise of the Republican candidate for President of the United States or the Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States, as nominated by the national convention, or the Republican National Committee may reconvene the national convention for the purpose of filling any such vacancies. (b) In voting under this rule, the Republican National Committee members representing any state 9 of 43 shall be entitled to cast the same number of votes as said state was entitled to cast at the national convention. (c) In the event that the members of the Republican National Committee from any state shall not be in agreement in the casting of votes hereunder, the votes of such state shall be divided equally, including fractional votes, among the members of the Republican National Committee present or voting by proxy. (d) No candidate shall be chosen to fill any such vacancy except upon receiving a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election.
