The Delegate Hunt and What is Rule 40?

Have been checking in on the Hugh Hewitt radio show to keep up with the "behind the scenes" aspects of the nomination race in addition to the top-level issues of policy and personalities of the candidates.

Hunting for delegates in California was discussed with the man who wrote the rules of the California State GOP. The state does winner-take-all by Congressional District in addition to a small clutch of state-wide delegates.

There was also a discussions of Rule 40 in the same interview. As it stands, it will have to be altered for the 2016 convention. However, how the rule will look will be hard fought to accommodate the various situations of candidates (Trump, Cruz, Rubio, and Kasich) holding more than just a handful of delegates. A front runner, if clearly ahead but short of the magic number, could use it to box out the other three candidates. Also, the top two could use it to box out the 3rd and 4th place finishers. All sorts of combinations of deal making will go into it.

There is also the matter of persuading delegates to join your side which may take place prior to the first ballot - after all, how strong is the "binding" of delegates? And certainly, if there is a second ballot, wooing of delegates will be necessary.

See this item with Republican elections attorney Ben Ginsburg talking about scenarios of how "binding" the rules are and what could be done to "encourage" delegates to change their commitments.