Donald Trump should be in favor of unbinding all of the Republican delegates ahead of the official vote to declare him the party’s nominee, the Wall Street Journal argued Monday night.
Party rules dictate that a portion of the delegates a candidate secures in the primary are required to pledge their vote to him or her at the convention in Cleveland next week. But the “Never Trump” movement, led by prominent figures in conservative media, have pushed for a new rule that would allow all delegates to vote their “conscience.”
The Republican National Committee has resisted the effort, but a federal ruling this week lent some credibility to the movement, finding in favor of a Virginia delegate who wanted to vote his own preference instead of being required to support Trump.
“Mr. Trump says he’s confident he’ll prevail even if the delegates are unbound, and if that’s true then he ought to welcome a conscience vote,” said the Journal’s conservative editorial board.
“The convention system is designed to produce consensus nominees, but many reluctant Republicans haven’t rallied around the winner this time. Winning on the floor would add to the legitimacy of his nomination and help unite the party despite his critics. If Mr. Trump can’t obtain the support of a majority of delegates, he’s probably a loser in November.”
An impediment to the “Never Trump” crowd’s efforts is its failure to find any alternative GOP candidate willing and able to solidify a majority of party support.
The Journal acknowledged that point, but said an open convention might still be warranted.
“Republicans should nominate the best candidate they think has the best chance of winning in November,” the paper said. “If that means a raucous debate on the floor, then Americans might appreciate the exercise in democratic self-government.”
