NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus admitted Friday that there’s a 10-15 percent chance that the RNC convention will be contested when it meets in July in Cleveland.
While talking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Priebus said that there’s an “85, 90 percent” chance that a contested convention would be avoided, implying a small but real chance of a battle over the nomination.
“I think the odds of a contested convention are very small. I’ve been saying that forever,” Priebus told Hannity during a sit down discussion. “I, again, believe it is highly unlikely.”
“What are the odds it won’t happen?” Hannity asked the RNC chair.
“I don’t know, 85-90 percent,” Priebus said as he referring to 1976, when incumbent President Gerald Ford beat Ronald Reagan on the first ballot at the convention.
Throughout the discussion, the two talked at length about the delegate process and touched briefly on the GOP contest and the “drama” taking place.
“Yeah there’s some drama. We know that. There’s some intrigue,” Priebus said. He said that the RNC is doing its job to make sure it is prepared for a general election. He also assured conservative activists that the party is taking no side in the nomination process.
