Still shaken by Donald Trump’s triumph, Republican and conservative foes of the billionaire can still cause headaches for the party’s presumptive presidential nominee at this summer’s GOP convention. But their options are shrinking by the day.
With Trump’s last two rivals — Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich — abandoning their campaigns, there’s no remaining talk of snatching the nomination away from him with a contested, multi-ballot battle when Republican delegates gather in Cleveland.
Instead, anti-Trump forces are trying to figure out how to use this July’s GOP meetings to keep him from reshaping the party and its guiding principles, perhaps with fights over the platform or even his vice presidential pick.
Many expect Trump to build momentum as the convention nears, narrowing his opponents’ options. Even so, here’s what may be in store:
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IT’S OVER? WHAT NOW?
Trump’s foes concede he’s likely to arrive in Cleveland exceeding the 1,237 delegates needed to become the nominee. Yet many are still reeling from the contest’s unexpected finale last week and are just starting to think about what they could do at the convention that would be productive.
There’s going to be a lot of thinking, a lot of praying and a lot talking between all of us, said Kay Godwin, a Cruz delegate from Blackshear, Georgia. I wish I could give you an answer right now but I think if I did, it would be out of emotion.
There are probably some who hope Trump will stick his foot in his mouth or some scandal will come out and that they’ll be able to rally everybody at that point, but at this point there’s really nothing they can do to block his nomination, said Jason Osborne, a GOP consultant.
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CONTAINING THE DAMAGE
Many Trump opponents see the Republican platform, the party’s statement of ideals and policy goals, as a place for a stand in Cleveland. The convention’s 2,472 delegates must approve the platform before formally anointing the presidential nominee.
All — including those chosen to support Trump — can vote however they want on the platform. Many conservatives say they will use that vote to keep Trump from reshaping GOP dogma against abortion, for free trade and on other issues.
While it seems likely Trump would prevail, a showdown could be an embarrassment he’d seek to avoid by not pushing divisive changes.
If the party walks away from any of its clearly cut social, family values issues, it will be an issue, said Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council and GOP delegate from Louisiana. We’re not just going to fall in line because he’s the nominee.
Trump has said he would seek to include exceptions for rape and incest to the GOP platform’s opposition to abortion. He’s also flouted the party platform by repeatedly criticizing trade deals and calling NATO obsolete.
We’d want to make sure the platform is protected from Donald Trump, said Rory Cooper, senior adviser for the Never Trump political committee.
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