The potential for a contested Republican convention with no candidate arriving with the requisite 50 percent plus one delegates is being widely presented as a doomsday scenario, blatantly violating democratic fairness and provoking chaos. We disagree. The GOP primary fight has left many conservatives disgusted, frustrated, and angry — although it has also created enthusiasm and engagement. The party split is real, as the result in Wisconsin further illustrates. The fate of the GOP as a coherent entity is genuinely in question.

The convention process is a reflection of our broader federal system, built upon the principles and institutions created by the founders. It’s pretty basic, but worth restating, that our nation is a representative republic, not a direct democracy. The electoral college is there for a reason, providing a counterweight among the more and less populous states.