Tag Archives: 2016 Republican National Convention

Convention Updates

By Matt | Published July 15, 2016

The convention news is coming fast and furious leading into the GOP confab starting Monday. Here are some highlights:

  • 538 looks at the contested 1976 GOP convention
  • The press is receiving security training
  • Cleveland caterers are not happy
  • Here’s where the GOP state delegations are staying
  • The Dem convention in Philadelphia may help the Dems win Pennsylvania more than the GOP convention in Cleveland will help the GOP win Ohio.
  • Convention bumps are real, but getting smaller, especially with conventions in back-to-back weeks as they are again this year
  • And sadly, Tim Tebow will not be speaking at the GOP convention next week

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Convention Committees

By tmess2 | Published July 10, 2016

While most of the media attention is currently focused on whom might or might not still be in consideration for vice-president, a key activity over the next several weeks will be the work of the convention committees.

Because the Democrats give candidates a key role in selecting their delegates (and here in Missouri we had a bit of an uproar at our state convention due to the Sanders campaign exercising its right to trim the number of candidates for at-large delegates), the Rules Committee and the Credentials Committee tend not to be that important.  The fight this year was in the Platform Committee which wrapped up its work yesterday in Orlando.  There were several changes to the draft platform adopted at the full committee meeting in Orlando, and the revised draft has not yet been posted on the convention’s website (which does have the original version of the draft platform.)  There were some issues on which the committee had significant splits between Clinton and Sanders delegates.  It is unclear if any of these splits will lead to a minority report and debates on the floor.

Continue Reading...

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I’ve got to mow my lawn

By Matt | Published July 5, 2016

That, and the many other things Republicans are giving as reasons for not going to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

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Will the IRS Screw #PHLDNC?

By DocJess | Published July 4, 2016

dnc2016While the Cleveland host committee for the RNC has been granted tax-exempt 501(c)3 status, the Philadelphia Host Committee has not. While the Committee applied in May of 2015, and the approval process normally takes about three months, as of 1 July 2016, the IRS “has issues with it of some sort”. (Philadelphia Inquirer, July 3, 2016, page A3.)

The IRS said that the issues are “technical” but gave no details. The IRS requires of a host committee that it spend money for infrastructure projects outside the convention hall.  It appears that the preparation of the Wells Fargo Center, transportation costs and technology might fall under that since they would benefit Philadelphia.

The goal was to raise $60 million, of which $46.5 million would be in cash, and the rest in-kind. $10 million is expected from the state of Pennsylvania, and currently, there is a $4 million gap. Here’s the rub. If the committee cannot get 501(c)3 status, it would convert to a 501(c)6 status. That’s a designation used for business leagues and chambers of commerce and the like. If they do, any monies coming from businesses would be deductible as business expenses, but money from individuals would not be deductible nor tax exempt. Continue Reading...

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Philly is Primping for #PHLDNC

By DocJess | Published July 3, 2016

It’s Independence Day weekend in Philadelphia and OH! the sites and sounds. There are spectacular things to do and see….and some things will remain (and be added!) for the DNC Convention the last week in July.

2016-07-02 13.24.04I brought my nieces and my sister-in-law to, of course, the Constitution Center yesterday both to see the newest version of Freedom Rising, and the renovation of the Bronze Room. As I’ve been telling all DCW readers for years — if you come to Philly, I’ll be glad to take you to the Constitution Center. Open offer because to me it really is the happiest place on earth. For this weekend, there are displays and demonstrations on the front lawn of Colonial times: a blacksmith and a weaver, just to name two of many.

Remember, the Constitution Center is hosting PoliticalFest, which will run from 22 July through 27 July. It’s inexpensive and will be a terrific experience. You can get your tickets (good for all six days) here.  If you’re credentialed, PoliticalFest is free. Continue Reading...

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Will anyone be speaking at GOP convention?

By Matt | Published June 27, 2016

Besides Trump and his VP?

With the convention less than a month away, POLITICO contacted more than 50 prominent governors, senators and House members to gauge their interest in speaking. Only a few said they were open to it, and everyone else said they weren’t planning on it, didn’t want to or weren’t going to Cleveland at all — or simply didn’t respond. –Politico

Among the non-attendees: Rep Trey Gowdy, Rep Mark Sanford, Rep Sean Duffy, Rep Carlos Curbelo, Sen Kelly Ayotte, Gov Bruce Rauner, Sen Lindsey Graham, Rep Elise Stefanik, Rep Richard Hudson, Rep Mia Love Continue Reading...

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GOP convention preparations to finally start tomorrow after 2 week delay

By Matt | Published June 16, 2016

We’ve discussed in the past the issues with holding a convention in an arena with a successful basketball team. Well, with the Cleveland Cavaliers getting the NBA finals to a 6th game, being held tonight in Cleveland, the RNC will not get the keys to the Quicken Loans Arena until tomorrow morning, leaving just 4 weeks to prepare the arena before the GOP convention starts on July 18. Of course, the RNC has known about this possibility ever since Cleveland made the bid, but it wasn’t until Monday night’s upset win by the Cavaliers over the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 that the worst case scenario had come to past. (Actually 2nd worst – if the Cavs had had home-court advantage, the RNC might not have had access until Monday).

Basketball fans, of course, know that the Democrats faced no such concerns in Philadelphia.

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Both conventions still working to raise money

By Matt | Published June 8, 2016

Both the Republican and Democratic national political conventions remain short of their fundraising goals, as organizers have grappled with calls for corporate boycotts of the Republican gathering and Democrats coped with a protracted nomination battle.

Each committee is working to raise more than $60 million.

The host committee for the Republican gathering in Cleveland has collected roughly $56.5 million, said David Gilbert, its president and CEO. That puts the committee about $7.5 short of the $64 million it must collect for the July 18-21 event. Continue Reading...

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Trump’s GOP heads to Cleveland

By Matt | Published May 4, 2016

With John Kasich suspending his campaign today, even NBC News will now have to call Donald Trump the presumptive nominee.

We’ll keep the sidebar GOP numbers updated, but will no longer be updating the state-by-state results for the GOP.

Of course, Clinton has been the presumptive nominee for the Democrats for 2 months, but no one is allowed to call her that yet,,,

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Delegate Math: Week of April 25

By tmess2 | Published April 22, 2016

New York this past week was huge for the front runners in both parties.  For both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the results in New York essentially offset everything that has happened over the past several weeks.  On the Republican side, the race stands essentially where it stood on April 1 except for 223 more delegates allocated.  On the Democratic side, the race stands essentially where it stood on March 14 except for 1197 more delegates allocated.  In other words, the New York reset basically gave Trump a glimmer of hope that he can win enough delegates to get the nomination while it put Clinton back in control of the Democratic race.  This week’s primaries feature five states that comprise the rest of the Mid-Atlantic (Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania) and the last two New England states (Connecticut and Rhode Island).  For both Trump and Clinton, the hope is that this week will be mostly a repeat of New York.  For Trump that hope is a necessity because he still is behind where he needs to be on the delegate count and May is a little less friendly than this week.  Clinton also faces a potentially weaker performance in May, but she is fast approaching the point where it is mathematically impossible for Sanders to catchup on the pledged delegate count (much less the popular vote count).

Starting with the Republicans, the simplest state is Delaware — 16 delegates — winner-take-all.  There has not been much (if any polling) In Delaware.  Given the polls in neighboring states, Trump looks like the favorite to win in Delaware unless the supporters of Cruz and Kasich can unite to block him.

Maryland is only a little more complex — a winner-take-most state.  Maryland has eight congressional districts and the winner in each of those districts will take three delegates while the state-wide winner will take fourteen delegates.  Polling puts Trump near 40% with Cruz and Kasich tied for second.  There are potentially some districts that Cruz or Kasich could take.  Strategic voting would probably keep Trump from getting 12 or 15 delegates. Continue Reading...

Posted in Bernie Sanders, Cleveland, Delegate Count, Delegates, Donald Trump, GOP, Hillary Clinton, Philadelphia, PHLDNC2016, Primary and Caucus Results | Also tagged , , , , Comments Off on Delegate Math: Week of April 25