Presidential Preference Race: You Pick Some Delegates But Party Leaders Also Name Some At-Large

Are you confused about the way delegates are selected in these presidential primaries and caucuses around the country?
Well, you’re not the only one!
Even Donald Trump’s team seems to be having difficulty understanding the rules from state to state.
But, the question is: did your vote count?

The Tennessee republican party has 58 delegates.
Trump won 33 in the state, there are 16 for Cruz and 9 for Rubio.
Party leaders name some and you picked the others at the polls.
Alternate delegate Tina Benkiser speaks to the Pachyderm club.

TINA JOHNS BENKISER, ALTERNATE DELEGATE “We chose some of those delegates on the primary ballot back in March, and so, about half of those delegates that are delegated at-large ..were actually selected by the state executive committee a couple of weeks ago in Nashville.”

Keep in mind America is a democratic republic, not a pure democracy.
Republican voters, for instance, selected 27 delegates this year, 14 were named by party leaders.
And, both parties select delegates to represent various groups, like minorities, in our society.
So, Is Trump’s complaint about unfair treatment in electing delegates in some states fair?

TINA JOHNS BENKISER, ATTORNEY “Absolutely not. The rules are in place for how the delegates are allocated..were set back in 2012. And you can’t change the rules after 2014 at all.” “So, he’s had plenty of time to know the rules and understand the rules.”

Tina Benkiser has headed state delegations to the national convention twice over the years.
She is now a Chattanooga attorney and an alternate delegate this year.

Question: what happens to those 9 delegates pledged to Rubio?

TINA BENKISER ” A Rubio delegate would be announced…Rubio gets so many delegates, but it would not be recorded because he does not meet the threshhold to have his name placed in nomination.”

Keep in mind these rules change from state to state.
Tennessee Democrats picked 75 delegates this year, and 8 more so-called Super Delegates.