Trump and Riots
On CNN Wednesday — a day after winning primary battles in Florida, Illinois, Missouri and North Carolina (he lost in Ohio) and edging closer to the 1237 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination — Trump said there would be riots if the party denied him the victory.
Members of the Republican party establishment have hinted that if Trump does not get enough delegates to win the nomination outright, there could be another candidate presented at their July convention in Cleveland and a vote taken on the convention floor.
Such a vote could see Trump lose the nomination even if he went into the convention with a strong lead. Trump appears to be threatening the GOP with riots should they try such a (legal) tactic.
“I wouldn’t lead it, but I think bad things would happen,” he told CNN. “I don’t think you can say that we don’t get it automatically. I think you’d have riots. I think you’d have riots. I’m representing many, many millions of people.”
GOP delegate count
There has already been violence at his rallies and he’s encouraged supporters to take a violent stance with protesters. While speaking of the potential for riots he did not say if he would try and temper any anger his supporters might feel should a vote be taken at the convention and he lost the nomination.
Trump now has 646 delegates, Ted Cruz has 397 and after winning Ohio John Kasich has 142; after losing his home state of Florida to Trump, Marco Rubio has suspended his campaign.
A remaining 1,103 delegates are still up for grabs.
