Uncertainty of GOP race adds importance to Iowa district conventions

DES MOINES - The platform discussion may not be the only displays of passion and drama at four Iowa GOP district conventions Saturday.

The possibility of a contested Republican National Convention will place more importance on the election of 12 delegates to the party's gathering in Cleveland.

Iowa's delegates are bound on the first ballot. So if only one candidate is placed into nomination, the Iowa delegation will cast its entire vote for that person. However, if more than one candidate is nominated and the process goes beyond the first ballot, Iowa delegates will be able to vote for the candidates of their choice.

So the election of delegates at the district conventions 'will be far more important than it has been in the past,” according to Tim Hagle, who teaches political science at the University of Iowa.

'Or it can be important,” Hagle said. 'We don't know yet because if Donald Trump gets to 1,237, that's all she wrote. If he doesn't, then that's when things become interesting.”

The fact that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz came in first and Donald Trump second won't matter on a second ballot, he said.

The nominee needs 1,237 delegates to win the nomination outright. By most counts, Trump has 743 delegates And Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has 517.

Cruz won the caucuses back in February with 28 percent of the statewide caucus vote to 24 percent for Donald Trump and 23 percent for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. According to the Republican Party of Iowa delegate apportionment process, Cruz will get eight of the Iowa GOP's 30 RNC delegates, Trump and Rubio each get seven, Ben Carson gets three and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former CEO Carly Fiorina and Ohio Gov. John Kasich each get one.

Cruz won the caucuses in 56 of 99 counties. That includes 13 of 20 counties in 1st District where Cedar Rapids is located and 12 of 24 counties in the 2nd that is home to Iowa City. Trump won 10 in the 2nd and seven in the 1st. Rubio claimed two 2nd District counties.

That appears to give Cruz, who along with Trump are the only candidates still actively campaigning, appears to have the advantage going into the district conventions.

So Republicans who want to be national convention delegates will have to indicate how they will cast their votes should the convention go beyond the first ballot, Hagle said.

'Folks will have to give some indication of what they plan to do on a second ballot before they get elected a delegate to national convention,” he said. They will have to indicate 'whether they will either a) support a particular person or b) support whoever the nominee is.”

For those selected as delegates, the national convention could more than 'kind of political fun time,” Hagle said. Delegates 'may actually get a chance to decide something pretty important for the party.”

Conventions at a Glance

' 1st District: Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, 8201 Dakota St., Cedar Falls

' 2nd District: Bridge View Center, 102 Church St., Ottumwa

' 3rd District: Southwestern Community College Gym, 1501 W. Townline St., Creston

' 4th District: Fort Dodge Senior High School, 819 N. 25th St., Fort Dodge

' For times and agendas, go to www.iowagop.org.