Anti-Trump Delegates Are Making A Plan To Pick Their Own Vice Presidential Nominee

Source: Buzzfeed

WASHINGTON — Anti-Trump delegates are preparing a rules change proposal that would chart a path for delegates to choose their own vice presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention, instead of voting for Donald Trump’s choice.

A draft proposal obtained by BuzzFeed News outlines several changes to Rule 40 that would make it easier for delegates to reject whomever Trump picks as his running mate and present their own alternative. BuzzFeed News has learned that it will be presented at the Rules Committee meeting next week in Cleveland ahead of the convention.

Already, delegates are technically not bound to vote for the nominee’s choice for vice president. But in the past, vice presidential picks have largely been automatically ratified by the convention after being chosen by the nominee.

This year is different, as a vocal contingent of anti-Trump delegates to the convention are searching for ways to stop Trump from being nominated — or, failing that, to at least assert control over the party’s vice presidential nominee.

The proposed rules change centers around Rule 40, which has already been a topic of much discussion this year. One of the rule’s clauses requires a candidate to win the support of the majority of delegates in eight states in order to be considered for the nomination. The rule was changed from five to eight states in 2012 to prevent Ron Paul’s name from being given as an option. Changing that rule would allow non-Trump candidates to be considered for the nomination on the floor.

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