Kentucky GOP continues to select uncommitted RNC delegates

Kentucky GOP continues to select uncommitted RNC delegates

Tensions rise between frontrunner Donald Trump and national party leaders

Published 2:43 PM EDT Apr 16, 2016


LOUISVILLE, Ky. —Kentucky Republicans continue to elect uncommitted delegates to the national convention as tensions rise between frontrunner Donald Trump and national party leaders.

Trump won 17 of Kentucky's 46 delegates during last month's Republican caucus. Ted Cruz won 15 delegates while Marco Rubio and John Kasich each won seven. The delegates are bound for the first ballot at the Republican National Convention. But if no candidate gets enough delegates to secure the nomination, Kentucky's delegates are free to support anyone on subsequent ballots.

On Saturday, Republicans in Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District elected a slate of local party officials who all say they are not committed to a candidate. The delegates are Jefferson County GOP chairman Jim Stansbury and Linda Huber and Libby Milligan, members of the Jefferson County Republican Party executive committee.

The three delegates join the six delegates elected last week during other congressional district conventions, all who say they are uncommitted. Earlier this month three other delegates were elected from the 4th district, at least two of which say they are uncommitted.

In Louisville, some Cruz supporters tried to block the election of the delegates but did not have enough votes. One delegate asked the slate to publicly declare who they would support at the convention, only to be ruled out of order by district convention chairman DeAnna Brangers.

"Jefferson county voted for Trump ... so that has to weigh on my mind as a representative from Jefferson County," Stansbury said. "You never know, I don't know what's going to happen between now and July."

Huber, a first-time delegate, said she plans to follow Kentucky's Republican leaders, including U.S. Reps. Andy Barr and Brett Guthrie.

"I would hope they would be part of the process to guide us," she said. "I would bow to their expertise and their experience while staying true to what my beliefs are."

Republicans in the 2nd and 5th congressional districts were also scheduled to elect delegates on Saturday. Of Kentucky's 46 delegates, 18 are elected from congressional districts. Twenty-five will be selected at the state convention next week. The remaining three slots go to party leaders.

http://www.wlwt.com/news/Kentucky-GO...gates/39062850