Presidential hopeful Donald Trump has said his supporters would “riot” if he was denied the Republican nomination despite winning the popular vote. “I don’t think you can say that we don’t get it automatically”, Trump told CNN the morning after his latest round of election victories, in the states of Illinois, North Carolina and Florida.
Advertisement
“Trump has said he thinks riots would break out if he didn’t have the nomination after a contested convention. I really do. I wouldn’t lead it, but I think bad things would happen”, Trump continued. With Marco Rubio out, and despite Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s early sweep of his state, the Republican contest looks likely to become a one-on-one battle between frontrunner Donald Trump and Texas Sen.
In his victory speech, Mr Kasich said he wanted to create a “climate of opportunity” for future generations and praised the campaign of Marco Rubio – who announced his departure from the race following a crushing defeat in his home state of Florida.
Those delegates must validate the designation of the party’s presidential candidate at the Republican National Convention in July.
Analysts say that if Mr Trump does not win the 1,237 delegates he needs for a nomination, he would have to convince a Republican convention he is the man for the job.
“The fact is we have to bring our party together”, Trump, more restrained than usual, said.
Trump now has 621 delegates.
If it is a contested convention, Rubio told reporters he’s not planning on entering the presidential fray once again.
The other candidate still in the race, Kasich, won his home-state Tuesday.
She got 65 per cent of the votes in Florida, beating Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders who captured just 33 per cent, with 98 per cent of the votes counted.
That would only take place if Mr Trump fell short of the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination. “I think a lot of people will come to their senses”, answered a third.
The billionaire entered Tuesday’s primaries embroiled in one of the biggest controversies of his contentious campaign after he encouraged supporters to confront protesters at his events.
Advertisement
Trump has won 47 percent of the delegates awarded so far, according to the Associated Press delegate count. Her win in OH was a particular relief for her campaign, which grew anxious after Sanders pulled off a surprising win last week in another Midwestern industrial state, Michigan.
