Trump reaches the magic number to clinch GOP nomination
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this May 24 photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in Albuquerque, N.M.
WASHINGTON >> Donald Trump reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination for president Thursday, completing an unlikely rise that has upended the political landscape and set the stage for a bitter fall campaign.
Trump was put over the top in the Associated Press delegate count by a small number of the party’s unbound delegates who told the AP they would support him at the national convention in July. Among them is Oklahoma GOP chairwoman Pam Pollard.
“I think he has touched a part of our electorate that doesn’t like where our country is,” Pollard said. “I have no problem supporting Mr. Trump.”
It takes 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination. Trump has reached 1,238. With 303 delegates at stake in five state primaries on June 7, Trump will easily pad his total, avoiding a contested convention in Cleveland.
Trump, a political neophyte who for years delivered caustic commentary on the state of the nation from the sidelines but had never run for office, fought off 16 other Republican contenders in an often ugly primary race.
Many on the right have been slow to warm to Trump, wary of his conservative bona fides. Others worry about his crass personality and the lewd comments he’s made about women.
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But millions of grass-roots activists, many of them outsiders to the political process, have embraced Trump as a plain-speaking populist who is not afraid to offend.
Steve House, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party and an unbound delegate who confirmed his support of Trump to the AP, said he likes the billionaire’s background as a businessman.
“Leadership is leadership,” House said. “If he can surround himself with the political talent, I think he will be fine.”
Trump’s pivotal moment comes amid a new sign of internal problems.
Hours before clinching the nomination, he announced the abrupt departure of political director Rick Wiley, who was in the midst of leading the campaign’s push to hire staff in key battleground states. In a statement, Trump’s campaign said Wiley had been hired only on a short-term basis until the candidate’s organization “was running full steam.”
His hiring about six weeks ago was seen as a sign that party veterans were embracing Trump’s campaign. A person familiar with Wiley’s ouster said the operative clashed with others in Trump’s operation and didn’t want to put longtime Trump allies in key jobs. The person insisted on anonymity because the person was not authorized to publicly discuss the internal campaign dynamics.
Some delegates who confirmed their decisions to back Trump were tepid at best, saying they are supporting him out of a sense of obligation because he won their state’s primary.
Cameron Linton of Pittsburgh said he will back Trump on the first ballot since he won the presidential primary vote in Linton’s congressional district.
“If there’s a second ballot I won’t vote for Donald Trump,” Linton said. “He’s ridiculous. There’s no other way to say it.”
Trump’s path to the Republican presidential nomination began with an escalator ride.
Trump and his wife, Melania, descended an escalator into the basement lobby of the Trump Tower on June 16, 2015, for an announcement many observers had said would never come: The celebrity real estate developer had flirted with running for office in the past.
His speech then set the tone for the candidate’s ability to dominate the headlines with provocative statements, insults and hyperbole. He called Mexicans “rapists,” promised to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and proposed banning most Muslims from the U.S. for an indeterminate time.
He criticized women for their looks. And he unleashed an uncanny marketing ability in which he deduced his critics’ weak points and distilled them to nicknames that stuck. “Little Marco” Rubio, “Weak” Jeb Bush and “Lyin’ Ted” Cruz, among others, all were forced into reacting to Trump. They fell one-by-one — leaving Trump the sole survivor of a riotous Republican primary.
His rallies became magnets for free publicity. Onstage, he dispensed populism that drew thousands of supporters, many wearing his trademark “Make America Great Again” hats and chanting, “Build the wall!”
The events drew protests too— with demonstrators sometimes forcibly ejected from the proceedings. One rally in Chicago was canceled after thousands of demonstrators surrounded the venue and the Secret Service could no longer vouch for the candidate’s safety.
When voting started, Trump was not so fast out of the gate.
He lost the Iowa caucuses in February, falling behind Cruz and barely edging Rubio for second. He recovered in New Hampshire. From there he and Cruz fiercely engaged, with Trump winning some and losing some but one way or another dominating the rest of the primary season — in votes or at least in attention — and ultimately in delegates.
Republican leaders declared themselves appalled by Trump’s rise. Conservatives called the onetime Democrat a fraud. But many slowly, warily, began meeting with Trump and his staff. And he began winning endorsements from a few members of Congress.
As with other aspects of his campaign, Trump upended the traditional role of money in the race.
He incurred relatively low campaign costs — just $57 million through the end of April. He covered most of it with at least $43 million of his own money loaned to the campaign. He spent less than $21 million on paid television and radio commercials. That’s about one-quarter of what Jeb Bush and his allies spent on TV.
Trump entered a new phase of his campaign Tuesday night by holding his first major campaign fundraiser: a $25,000-per-ticket dinner in Los Angeles.
Trump, 69, the son of a New York City real estate magnate, had risen to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, overseeing major real estate deals, watching his financial fortunes rise, then fall, hosting “The Apprentice” TV show and authoring more than a dozen books.
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Associated Press writers James Nord in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, James MacPherson in Bismarck, North Dakota, Jill Colvin in Anaheim, California, Steve Peoples in Washington and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.
103 responses to “Trump reaches the magic number to clinch GOP nomination”
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Words cannot describe how pathetic the Republican Party has become. It’s a national disgrace.
However we can describe the alternative to the GOP, the pathetic, inept and corrupt Democrat Party, which is on the verge of nominating one of the most disliked and untrustworthy candidates in the history of America, HilLIARy.
When your argument fails, be sure to change the subject. That always works!
klastri never has an argument, he just foams by the mouth against whoever is not leftist.
Allaha – Like I said, it’s always best to change the subject.
Words cannot describe how good Donald Trump is doing. Same subject.
And you’re so, so proud of the democrat party record???? Here it is:
Inflaming an ever increasing racial divide.
Impoverishing the largest progressive run state, California, with the highest percentage of those living under the poverty line.
Ignoring our soon to be insolvent entitlement programs (Social Security Disability next year).
Presiding over the slowest economic recovery, the lowest labor participation rate in 4 decades.
Squandering US influence in the world at the expense of vital national interests, particularly the Middle East.
Negotiating a nuclear agreement that will set of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and actually shelter the Iranian nuclear weapons program.
An immigration policy that amounts to the dissolution of our borders in order to import democrat party voters.
Use of the IRS like a sort of political gestapo to shut up conservative groups.
Supporting the sale of baby body parts.
These appear to be the guiding principles of the Democrat party, either by design or by ignorance, aimed at a slow destruction of the country.
President Donald Trump vs LYING hiLIARy for PRISONdent …easy choice. The Donald “Make America Great Again”!!!
Totally agree as there were other reasonable candidates that respected the American Public, in particular, women and people of color.
Either Paul or Kasich would had been palatable offerings, yet neither seem to fit your criteria..
True..sad the see the once proud party of Lincoln brought so low. Trump is a marketing and entertainment genius but nothing more. I tremble for America.
At this point, I would vote for Millard Fillmore. Oh wait, everyone laughs at him but he wasn’t really a bad President.
agree..given the expectations for the office at the time, he was not bad. Trump, alas, has no answers for America. How far can he run this great country into the ground, though?
I just look at who the violent demonstrators against Trump are, and I know I will vote for him. Is your mailbox full of smears against Trump too? Don’t belive them.
“I love the poorly educated!” That is perhaps Mr. Trump’s most telling campaign speech quotes. He knows his voters.
Yup. That’s the sentence that will probably become his historical legacy. As far as I know, no other candidate for President ever uttered those words.
One hazards to guess that you have not read “Crippled America”.
Suggestion: avoid it.
Reason: it would demolish your position.
Trump’s statement in it’s entirety: “We won with highly-educated, we won with poorly educated! I love the poorly educated! We’re the smartest people, we’re the most loyal people.”
Just as Katie Couric did in her documentary, you just manipulate the statements to justify your agenda.
What difference, at this point, does it make?
Great argument, thos: “A book that I agree with.”
Mexican flag wavers burning the American flag…liberals gone wild sponsored by Soros.
Windward_side, thanks for Trump’s statement in its entirety! It helps give me a better prospective of the man! Trump reminds me of the then renegade Frank Fasi in his early years trying to enter Hawaii’s political field. It seems none took him seriously! His drive and determination overcome the ridiculous and subject of being the butt of jokes in those days! Today he is remembered as one of the best Mayor we have ever had! I’m not too keen of Mr. Trump but the alternative is out of question! If there is no third party or candidate than this old buck will cross the old fingers and vote for the Donald and hope he turns out like a Mr. Fasi!
On May 26, 2016 at 5:08 am klastri says: “ Words cannot describe how pathetic the Republican Party has become”
Which is EXACTLY why Trump triumphs with folks who are dismissively described as “flyover country”. The great and near great of the GOP establishment are in awe of – – and rightfully fear – – The Donald. If he continues to play our so called “news” media like his own personal orchestra (much to their frustration) and succeeds to the White House, the gutless obsequious pantywaists who think they know everything (and accomplish almost nothing) will find themselves out of a job.
For those of us who have long longed for a nationwide RINOcide purge, Trump is the answer to our prayers.
The Donald will END the Lib NIGHTMARE!!!
The Donald is a NIGHTMARE…period.
magicman1433…The Don will break huLIARy’s broom & throw water on her and she will finally vaporize leaving only her pantsuit in a heap. “Make America Great Again”!!!
Well, consider the silver lining Klastri.
If Trump does win, his decades long contempt for the Constitution and Bill of Rights will inevitably lead to an impeachment and conviction. America can unify over its mutual dislike of Trump.
That of course does leave the problem of people like Sarge, Thos and Keonigohan who actually agree with Trump that we need to throw the Constitution in the toilet and repeal the bill of rights, but honestly, we all knew those people belong more in Iran or North Korea than a place that actually preaches rule of law.
I’m waiting to see if there are enough Republicans who don’t think we should burn the Constitution who will finally leave the party after Trump is nominated. If anything, this should finally convince the few remaining Libertarians in the party that the GOP doesn’t believe in liberty and that it’s really time to go.
IF? Get used to saying President Donald Trump!
Klastri, and you will receive your wish with Donald J. Trump as President of the United States. The gift of a Conservative U.S. Supreme Court for the next 30 to 50 years. Mahalo for all your negative posts. Let’s Make America Great Again.
Vote Trump! End The Constitution! Repeal The Bill of Rights! Make America Great Again By Removing All Freedom! No Free Speech! No Free Press! No Equal Treatment Under The Law! No Due Process! No Right to Assembly! No Freedom Of Religion! No Private Property Rights For The Masses! Persecute Journalists Who Report Corruption! Pro-Putin! End Freedom and Make America Great Again!
Although I’m far from being a Trump fan, I’m surprised to learn his being elected would automatically dissolve the SCOTUS, Congress, the Constitution, and set fire to the Bill of Rights. Given that scenario, perhaps his supporters should take pause..
Choyd is losing it and is desperate. He may be leaving the country soon.
Oh, yeah, and famine, pestilence, war, famine, and death—the whole apocalypse package– TIMES TEN!!!
Get a grip fellow or the guys with the big nets and the straight jacket are going to come calling for you.
SO you think the corrupt Hillary is a better choice??? LOL! She has sold her soul to big money.
I think anyone’s a better choice than Dump…
Perhaps both are terrible choices……
Hopefully, reason will prevail and he will not be elected to the presidency. How will the world leaders view our president and country if he is elected?
Asa young Native American female, I will not be voted for Trump’s racism or xenophobia. She is not my ideal but yes, I will be voting for Hillary.
and as an individual I too will not be voting for Trump, nor will cast a vote for Clinton, both parties have seriously failed the Country and they need to be told so by voting for someone you believe in and not just the least of two terrible evils.
Unless you intend voting for possible third party candidate Bernie Sanders, then by not voting you forfeit the right to complain about our next president, no matter who he or she turns out to be.
Amen DD…oops is that not PC? Well who give a …
Perhaps people should understand that making a bad decision is often worse than making no decision at all. As it pertains to voting for our next president, if you voted and your preferred candidate lost, at least you’ll be able to endure the next four years with a clean conscience. You at least tried in your own small way to make a difference.
Sorry, meant “better” instead of “worse.)
Democrats are courting the riffraff , government dependents and the delusional leftist intellectuals. which one do you belong to?
OMG, I’m guilty. By the way, when exactly did being an intellectual become a pejorative. (Whoops, sorry. I should have said “a bad thing” “pejorative” is too “intellectual.”)
It became a pejorative when our universities morphed into PC boot camps for radical indoctrination of our children.
I still do not know who to vote for. BOTH are liars, one is a narcissist, racist and hater of woman, unless that woman goes on her knees and worship him, the other is an pathological liar that let Americans die in Benghazi for political reasons and allowed hackers to steal top secret emails from her illegal home made email server. Maybe Ralph Nader will run again and I will vote for him.
Donal Trump did not leave Americans behind to be tortured then slaughtered and blame it on a video to the victim’s FAMILIES….easy choice for me.
Hillary, Sanders, Stein and Johnson don’t have a decades long history of hating the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Trump does. Consider the bigger threat to America. A wildly corrupt and lying choice of Hillary, or someone who demonstrated for decades that they have little but contempt for the highest law of the land and our civil liberties that date back to the revolution. Anyone who thinks Obama’s vision for America is frightening, should be terrified of Trump’s nightmare of a freedomless America.
OR we could all just vote Johnson and finally end this duopoly.
A third party, especially libertarian, is an absurd fantasy. Voting for Johnson would just be a vote for Trump according to recent polling which shows him benefitting more than Hillary from a three way match.
you can whine about it all you want, the process allowed Mr. Trump to be in the position he’s in at this time. If the other candidates were much better than the DONALD why did the DONALD whip their behinds!
Because the Republican base is comprised of the gullible and poorly educated. That’s why.
How can you lie so blatantly klastri?
It’s not a surprise that you can’t understand facts. Facts can be stubborn.
Allaha…klastri (aka KurtonKauai) professed that O’s obamacare IS the Best thing that happened to America….I rest my case on who is not informed.
I’m surprised klastri has not inserted the R card yet!
klastri, like it or not, being gullible and poorly educated are not reasons to disenfranchise any citizen of the United States. Should Trump be elected as our next president, it would still be essentially due to the will of the people.
If you would rather that the “gullible and poorly educated” not have a part to play in electing our leaders, then would you be in favor of reinstituting the “literacy tests” so beloved of the old South?
what’s “ASA”?
American Softball Association.
Well, as a photographer, I always took it to mean the old designation for film speed.
Trump reaches the magic number to clinch GOP nomination. Congrats Donald, great job. This news should be the major news item of the day. The losers can’t handle the truth. Get ready for more name calling by the defeated opposition. “Make America Great Again”
President Donald Trump….Make America Great Again! Having said that I can hear popcorn popping…or is that the sound of Lib heads imploding!!??
Sarge22, fully agree with your post. Also, thanks must be provided to all Trump’s campaign workers. Now, we must win the White House and gain seats to the U.S. Senate and House. Also, increase seats with Conservative Republicans in all 50 States, Counties, and Territories. Let’s make America Great Again.
Absolutely agree. As noted in the article, he will surround himself–cabinet and division heads—with competent people. Note that Clinton and Obama had liberal Harvard professors, none of whom had ever met a payroll or run a business and in addition put minorities in charge–and look at the scandals and resignations and total incompetence!! AND, with a wife like that, I doubt any AFFAIRS!!!
The only magical number is 270…which Trump will never get…
Yup, just like he would never get 1237. Just watch.
I never said that he wouldn’t get 1237…He won’t get 270…bank on it!
Magicman1433, as a past Presidential Political Director, I have been following the electorial college numbers. Candidate Donald J. Trump has an opportunity to get 300 of the 538 votes over Hillary, if she is the Democrat candidate. Let’s keep our eyes on the ball for the Donald, following the Republican National Convention, will have that bounce to become President of the United States.
Talks like a Duck; walks like a duck; looks like a duck. What a character.
Voting for the duck any day over LYING hiLIARy.
I just love it! Why is Hillary ducking out of the Debate with Bernie Sanders?? Why? Answer: California!
Doesn’t want a debate with Bernie in fears of losing the most Leftest State? “Why”? Because,today in the polls,they are in a “Dead Heat”! Bernie has a good chance of taking California….even with out the Debate!And this should concern Hillary.
“Why”? Because Bernie, most likely will get the Popular Votes there!However with the “Super-Delegates”? We all know they belong to the Clintons. Hence the word “Rigged”.
BUT? I say again BUT! President Trump, who is only too sensitive to what’s happening in the Democrat Party as being “Rigged”! He feels Bernie pain.
He relates to Bernie because that is what the GOP is and continues doing to The Donald….These Buggahs! The Democrat and Republican Elites !
I commend Donald Trump for offering to do a Debate with Bernie Sanders. Donalds Conditions ??: That all the proceedings generated from the Networks for this debate will be DONATED to a Worthy Charity! This equates to Millions! WOW Donald! You are THE Man!
See the Jimmy Kimmel Show on YouTube.
& Bernie’s response ?:”Game On”.
Although many may not like Donald? You have to agree,this says a lot of President Donald Trump……….Compassion and Respect!
Go President Donald Trump! & “Let’s Make America Great Again!”IMUA
You just made the liberals here pop their cork!!! lol
Go President Donald Trump Go!!!
…..I know ,i love “popping liberal corks”.lol. Go President Trump!
Question to my fellow Trolls. Re: Campaign Donations: Hillary has in excess of 250 million VS Donalds 50 plus Million. Does Hillary get to keep what ever is left-over in her campaign chest when she loses? …..Time for the Jeopardy song.
You really want to see two senior citizens shouting at each other…again? It hasn’t been pretty or productive. Moi, in answer to your question re:Campaign $$$$$—Any leftover $$$ can’t be used for personal use….but we are talking about Sec. Clinton and we both know ANYTHING goes with the Clintons.
Liberals will be popping corks in November, when Trump gets DUMPED!!!
“Game On ! ” The loser agrees to support the Nominee!
and none of this GOP stuff either. ie: “The Loyalty Pledge”.
MoiLee, for the past 2 term, the sore losers never supported the POTUS. So why the challenge now? Lol,sore loser.
Trump is our last and only hope to straighten out this country. He may not be perfect, but one thing he has is the love of this country. Even in the 1980’s he has been crying out for America. He could see all the wrong decisions the presidents was making. He has been crying out for a long time. If there was a good president, he would not be running for office. He has the confidence to do it and I believe he can!
If Trump is our last and only hope, then we are doomed…
We are already doomed. I don’t have a good feeling about
about this year. I hope he even makes it to office. Go online and check all the facts. Obama is doing all kinds of things behind our backs. He purchased millions of body bags. Who is that for? Why did he give Iran millions of dollars for their military?
We are in debt by the trillions. Eventually when we cannot give out anymore handouts, what is to become of our nation? Did you see what is happening in Venezuela? We are headed for the same direction.
May God help our nation!
Trump “may not be perfect” is an understatement… how about being a “racist, egocentric bigot”?
Well, so were arguably some of the Founding Fathers and some former presidents all the way up to Woodrow Wilson and maybe even Franklin Delano Roosevelt. What of it?
He is confident. He is egotistical. He is not a racist.
Just once, couldn’t a photographer take a picture of him with his mouth closed? Oh, that’s right. Not going to happen.
Equally rare would be a shot of Hillary without her hand out.
Or telling the truth.
One step closer to a Democrat for president…
One step closer to a Democrat going to prison. Trump 2016
You mean “Dump Trump 2016”!!!
President Don vs hiLIARy for PRISONdent…Go Donald Go “Make America Great Again”!
I hope TRUMP wins so those overpaid entertainers can LEAVE the good ‘ol USA !
Hillary is the loose cannon.
I remember her landing under sniper fire.
Roger Kagan’s opinion piece in the Washington Post concludes with these chilling words: “This is how fascism comes to America, not with jackboots and salutes (although there have been salutes, and a whiff of violence) but with a television huckster, a phony billionaire, a textbook egomaniac “tapping into” popular resentments and insecurities, and with an entire national political party — out of ambition or blind party loyalty, or simply out of fear — falling into line behind him.”
Read Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg for a more accurate description of the probable source of a fascist America. Like, it’s pretty obvious where the impulse to control speech, promote “thought crime” laws, and the use of bureaucracy oppress the individual is coming from– left wing academia, the democrats in congress, and the Obama administration.
So while it feels good to nod along with the rantings of the leftist press, the fact is that what you fear is already being delivered by the democrat party.
trump is one dimensional, attractive mostly as a beltway outsider, he and bernie represent the desperation voters have with established party mechanics.
hiliar’s campaign wheels are coming apart this week with democrats openly discussing the removal of shultz as party chair, the release of the state department’s comprehensive scathing report on hiliar’s private email server and lazar securing immunity in the f.b.i. criminal investigation into hiliar’s private email server.
the trump/sanders california debate should include handcuffs and orange overalls on an empty chair.
say what you want about TRUMP, the fact is despite all the HATERS, he kicked some serious A-S-S !
Cruz,Christie,Rubio,Bush? That is some serious @$$.
sort of like playing a game of H-O-R-S-E against Jordan, Kobe, Griffin, LeBron & Curry….and guest who DIDN’T WIN !!!
NO ONE SAW IT COMING …..hehehe
Trump is all about money. If he becomes our next President he will find ways to benefit himself. He may make deals with other world leaders and show them how they can fill their pockets at the expense of the people. So that will make him just like all the other politicians.
Trump is all about success. You can’t argue that.
Trump is all about money and Hillary Clinton isn’t??? Between 2013 and 2015 she made $21million giving speeches to fat cats. At least Trump’s billions didn’t involve selling his political sole to the highest bidder.
If Trump does triumph, will the bubble burst? will the Democrats block his every move? will Trump have to move more towards the center rather than being so far Right?
Just as Obama entered the Great Recession in 2008 and American seemed ready to meltdown will Trump pull our chestnuts out of the fire in 2017 with bail-outs and tax cuts and/or kick the problems down the road?
I’am not excited about paying more taxes in 2017 for an increased Military-Industrial Complex, nor more money for Social Services/Welfare/Homelessness Inc.
Honesty, Character, Integrity, Ethics, High Moral Standards, Loyalty, Willingness to serve the people (and not themselves) for the greater good of all, seem to be in short supply in Government and Politicians now……..say it ain’t so Joe.
Hold on a minute while I get these stars out of my eyes and exchange my rose colored glasses for some cool Ray-Bans.