The man who consistently bottomed out the once 17-candidate-strong roster of Republican presidential hopefuls conceded Wednesday that he does not expect to be the party’s nominee in the event of a contested convention.
Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, who ended his campaign in February, told CNN’s Brooke Baldwin that he thinks the odds are in front-runner Donald Trump’s favor, even if he doesn’t reach the 1,237 delegates needed.
“My view is based on my experience. If you get into the convention with … most of the delegates, you’re going to be able to negotiate your way all the across the top,” said the former chairman of the Republican National Committee. But, he added, the convention could get “very interesting” if Ted Cruz can rally John Kasich’s delegates, along with Marco Rubio’s delegates.
During his longshot campaign, Gilmore consistently complained of the RNC’s “outsourcing” of debates to networks, whose qualification rules consistently left him off the stage due to his low poll numbers. When it comes to party nomination contests, which Trump has recently characterized as a “corrupt deal” after losing all of Colorado’s delegates in congressional district and state conventions, Gilmore does not see any problems.
“No, I don’t think the system is rigged,” he said, adding that if the party does try to change the rules at the convention, it’s “going to create a sense of anger.”
Asked if he expects to see his name in a potential second ballot, Gilmore deflected any hope of a second chance. “I don’t expect to be the nominee,” he said.
While characterizing the Republicans’ bridge to the presidency as one that has “burned down,” he said this is not RNC Chairman Reince Priebus’ fault, but rather that of the primary process. And if the party can’t get its act together, Gilmore warned, there is a predator waiting beneath.
“You talk about a bridge being burned down across the river, there’s something down in the river and that’s an alligator, it’s called Hillary Clinton,” Gilmore said.
