What happens if Mittens suddenly drops out of the race?

[firehorse]

Does anyone know? Would it go to Gingrich? Could someone like Christie suddenly run?

How does the process work?

Mittens is such a joke, I'm beginning to think he is some kind of red herring candidate and someone else will pop up at the last minute.

[Scuba]

1. Ted Nugent and Michele Bachmann will step in to save the party.

Hilarity ensues.

[morningfog]

2. Hell would freeze over. It isn't going to happen.

Not a chance.

[nichomachus]

4. Someone in the GOP could make him an offer he can't refuse

He is doing so badly in general that he could encourage a lot of right-wingers to stay home. That could cost the GOP both the House and winning the Senate. They'd rather not do that.

I know that if I were a GOP congressman in a tight race, I'd be shitting a brick right about now.

[morningfog]

9. He is out-pacing Obama in fundraising. That is enough to keep him in.

There is simply not enough time for anyone else to build the national infrastructure to be competitive.

[nichomachus]

30. Is the money coming in because of Romney or despite him? That's the question.

I figure that most of that money is anti-Obama money. A lot of people are holding their noses as they write their checks. If there were someone else in the top spot on the ticket, they could be writing the checks faster -- and maybe with an extra zero.

[morningfog]

35. Regardless, Mitt is their guy. Nothing is gonna change that.

[nichomachus]

38. It may not have high probability, but I don't think it's an impossibility.

[Justice wanted]

34. But all that money isn't swaying various national polls which see Obama's margin going.

[hamsterjill]

33. No, it is not going to happen.

For Romney, it was all about ego from the start. He wants to add "President" to his resume. His ego is his motivation, and his millions have made his chance possible. He's not going to stand down.

It's up to us to insure that come November, his resume reads "was the Republican candidate in the 2012 election, which was won by Barak Obama in a landslide".

[Speck Tater]

3. Maybe McCain and Palin could be talked into a rerun. nt

[firehorse]

5. I'm guessing no nominee has ever dropped out, but what if Mitt got run over by his dancing horse?

What is the process? Anyone?

[nichomachus]

31. He's not the nominee - yet. Merely the "presumptive nominee."

[CJCRANE]

6. I think he'll carry on.

As long as he continues to insult people and places, make unfounded accusations and inaccurate statements, he'll keep the Repub base happy.

[firehorse]

8. I don't think they are happy with him, they are stuck with him, more like a default vote against

Obama.

[CJCRANE]

14. True...

but as long as he doesn't say anything rational or empathetic, he'll keep them on board.

Tea Partiers seem to reward incompetence and ignorance, and I think Romney can just about accomplish those two qualities.

[southernyankeebelle]

7. Palin still has hopes they will bring her name up at the convention to replace him. That

crazy woman thinks god wants her in that position. She isn't going to go away. You can bet she is already pissed off because they haven't given her a slot to speak. For once I agree with Mittens. She is lurking in the background like a snake. Watch out for her. If he drops out they will draft someone. Remember Ron Paul has a lot of delegates.

[firehorse]

11. that's what I want to know about "the draft" process.

How does the system work if for whatever reason Rmoney drops out, dies, whatever.... and he has no VP picked? How does the system work? Start over drafting? Does the nominee go to whoever came in second? Does the party start over again?

[southernyankeebelle]

24. Gosh I guess we need to google it. Maybe we will find out that way.

[no_hypocrisy]

10. Won't happen but theoretically,

unless Romney releases his delegates to a particular primary contender, it would be a brokered convention.

[firehorse]

12. Thanks, so if Romney drops out - he would have to release his delegates. Who brokers it?

Congress?

[no_hypocrisy]

17. Romney can give his delegates to anyone but a democrat . . . .

[ieoeja]

25. The delegates broker it. Presidential nomination and party platform are their primary purpose.

Followed closely by wearing stupid looking hats. This is considered incredibly fun among the political hoi-poloi. These are, after all, the dorks who ran for student gov't in school.

Then there is partaking in drugs, sex and alcohol. Aside from that, convention delegates do not really do anything.

[firehorse]

36. ^^lol for "stupid looking hats"

[Logical]

13. This will never happen, why keep bringing it up?

[firehorse]

15. I think it could happen. He is the titanic sinking.

I never learned in high school/college what the due process would be if a candidate suddenly dropped out. I'm part of the prop 13 education system and things like civics classes were not offered.

I truly want to know what the process is. Maybe I sound like a nutjob, but I could see someone like Rove coming up with a scheme to use dumass Romney for a while like a puppet, hang him out to dry, and then suddenly get his ass dumped so that another candidate is offered up, and Obama is unprepared to attack. It would be like a coup.

Maybe my speculation sounds crazy, but I'm curious what process is in place for such an event.

[longship]

16. Not going to happen. Just not. nt

.

[ThomThom]

18. at this point they can not afford even the hint of negativity

at the convention so everyone will choke it down and wave their flags like they mean it.
They could never come to an agreement if rMoney ain't the man. Early on I was hoping that no one was a clear primary winner so the convention would be crazy and they would destroy each other. Now I think rMoney is a easy mark and will easily be shown the door.

[Rowdyboy]

19. If he dropped out after being nominated, I believe the 100 members of the RNC (2 from each state)

would meet to select a new nominee. They would not be limited to his vp nominee.

When Eagleton withdrew from the 1972 ticket and McGovern selected Shriver to take his place I believe the DNC had to vote on it (its been 40 years and my memory is shot but I believe thats the way it was handled).

[firehorse]

22. thank you for this. I wanted to know the nuts and bolts on the process.

[Rowdyboy]

40. In politics you're constantly faced with the unexpected-you never know what may happen next....

Its always best to know your "what ifs". Just ignore the people who belittle you for asking unlikely questions. It was extremely unlikely that McGovern would be forced to dump his veepee and select a new one but he did.

Hope my information is still correct-either party could have changed the process over the last 40 years but its likely about the same.

[firehorse]

44. thank you :D

[TeamPooka]

20. Fiction, wishful thinking, or deluded. Your choice

You get to pick if think this is even remotely true or possible.
The GOP doesn't work like that.
Changing candidates would require self examination and reflection.
They dont do that

[Orangepeel]

21. Won't happen, but his delegates would vote for somebody else at the convention

Theoretically, could be anybody. But it won't happen.

[firehorse]

23. thanks Orangepeel, delegates at the convention makes sense.

[DrDan]

26. why would he drop out?

We might consider him a joke. That does not mean voters on the right do. Nor his big contributors. Don't forget, he received more in contributions during the last period than Obama.

[ag_dude]

27. I think it's extremely interesting how things go in cycles.

Does anybody else remember when republicans were doing this kind of speculation regarding Kerry eight years ago?

[firehorse]

37. thanks for the reminder, I don't remember that about Kerry.

[ag_dude]

39. I don't remember which conservative forums it was

I remember seeing a few of those threads though and thinking how crazy and myopic they were.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

28. He might get a longer footnote than the one he's going to get anyway.

[unblock]

29. his wife inherits all his money.

well, actually, i'm sure he's got trusts set up for his kids and perhaps various other purposes.

point is, he ain't dropping out unless something spectacular happens do him, such as death or at least an incapacitating stroke.

then again, with the crazy way these things work, they'd probably keep his name on the ballot anyway.

[elleng]

32. Convention coming up,

so could probably be decided there. No idea about repugs' procedure for that.

BUT it would be FUN to watch!!!

[rox63]

43. Ain't gonna happen

Mittens is 50% ego and 50% greed, which leaves no room for a brain or a heart.