Readers React: Close but no cigar for Donald Trump if he fails to get the requisite delegates

Can Donald Trump secure 1,237 delegates by mid-July? If not, Republicans may have the first contested party convention in more than 60 years.

March 29, 2016 12:22 PM PT

To the editor: What if Republicans started using “Ted” Cruz’s full name: Rafael Edward Cruz? (“‘What if’ scenarios for GOP,” March 25)

Republicans persisted in calling the president of the United States by his full name, Barack Hussein Obama.

When will we hear Cruz’s full name used proudly?

Terry Hart, Carlsbad

To the editor: If Donald Trump wins the requisite number of delegates, I’d be the first to say he should not be denied the nomination.

If he doesn’t, the same party rule that would give it to him must deny him.

Trump is now talking about “if he’s close.” The party rules don’t apply to close. “Close” would mean delegate counts don’t matter; instead, “I’m ahead, I just couldn’t finish, now, give the nomination to me.”

While Trump has won in multiple contests, he rarely has a majority; in most cases, much of the vote has gone against him. In other words, he’s not the person with the most votes. If he lacks the delegates, the nomination should be decided by the convention.

Michael Solomon, Canoga Park

To the editor: Trump has proved correct the phrase so often attributed to P.T. Barnum.

Edward A. Ruttenberg, Rancho Palos Verdes

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