Volume 18 , Issue 10

Brokered Conventions & What Are They?

Let us explore what "brokered conventions" are ... A brokered convention would be one in which no one of several presidential candidates could command a majority of the delegates; a nominee would have to be chosen by compromise, maneuvers and "deals" among candidates, party leaders and state delegations, perhaps after more than one ballot.

Anyone out there remember any "Brokered conventions" stories of the past?

Adlai Stevenson (of the 1952 Democratic Party) and Thomas E. Dewey (of the 1948 Republican Party) were the most recent "brokered convention" presidential nominees, of their respective parties. The last winning U.S. presidential nominee produced by a brokered convention was Franklin D. Roosevelt, in 1932.

I understand there has not been such a brokered convention of the Republican party since the Eisenhower-Taft campaign in 1952, though the 1976 struggle between President Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan came close.

It was August 16 to 19, 1976 when the Republican National Convention met to select their party's nominee for President. It was held in Kemper Arena, in Kansas City, Missouri with the convention nominated President Gerald Ford for a full term, but only after narrowly defeating a strong challenge from former California Governor Ronald Reagan. That was the same year the republican convention nominated Senator Robert Dole of Kansas for Vice President, instead of Vice President Nelson Rockefeller.

The 1976 Republican National Convention was the last major party convention where the party's nominee was not decided before the primary process concluded.

Gerald Ford had won more primary delegates than Reagan, as well as plurality in popular vote. But Ford did not have enough to secure the nomination. Both candidates were seen as having a chance to win. Both Ford and Reagan arrived in Kansas City before the convention opened to woo the remaining uncommitted delegates to secure the nomination. It was "Reagan's Raiders" of the Texas delegation that brought Reagan benefit. The pro-Reagan Texas delegates worked hard to persuade delegates from other states to support Reagan.

More recently, a brokered convention is mostly just a political junkie’s fantasy. With the modern party primary system almost always determining an overwhelming winner of delegates. And as David Frum noted awhile back, it’s hard to imagine a “brokered convention” when there is no such thing as political “brokers” any more. Elected delegates to a convention aren’t going to be swayed by political leaders deciding the nominee in a backroom. OR .... Are they?
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