GOP nominee must earn delegate majority, party boss says

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – The head of the Republican National Committee says the GOP will not “hand the nomination” to any presidential candidate who fails to win a majority of delegates in the coming weeks.

Party Chairman Reince Priebus said in a Friday speech to RNC members in Florida that it doesn’t matter how close a candidate comes if he doesn’t claim the necessary 1,237 delegates. Trump has said he should be the nominee as long as he has the most delegates after the state-by-state primary process ends – even if he falls short.

Priebus said coming close to the majority isn’t good enough. He said the majority threshold is “as American as apple pie and opening day.”

Without a clear majority, Priebus said the party will pick its nominee at a contested convention.