Time: “Priebus was on vacation when he learned that Trump had declined to endorse Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House and a close friend. The chairman had a frank message for the nominee, according to two Republican officials briefed on the call. Priebus told Trump that internal GOP polling suggested he was on track to lose the election. And if Trump didn’t turn around his campaign over the coming weeks, the Republican National Committee would consider redirecting party resources and machinery to House and Senate races.”
Priebus Very Angry With Trump
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus is “apoplectic” over Donald Trump’s refusal to back House Speaker Paul Ryan or Sen. John McCain in their primaries, NBC News reports.
“Priebus called several Trump staffers, including campaign manager Paul Manafort, to express his ‘extreme displeasure’ with Trump’s comments.”
Priebus Says Speechwriter Should Be Fired
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus told the Washington Post that he had not seen a video comparing the speeches of Melania Trump and Michelle Obama in 2008 but that “it certainly seems reasonable to me” that someone be fired over it.
Said Priebus: “Certainly, I don’t blame her for any of that.”
Asked whether it constituted plagiarism, Priebus said: “I don’t have a view yet, but I may later this morning.”
Priebus Convenes Secret Meeting to Head Off Rules Revolt
Time: “The Republican National Convention rules committee abruptly recessed for more than four hours Thursday morning…”
“Facing dozens of amendments, Rules Committee Chair Enid Mickelsen claimed there was a problem with the committee’s printers preventing the consideration of the committee’s business all morning. But the true reason for the delay, according to GOP officials, was a secret meeting convened by Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, with Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Colorado delegate Kendal Unruh, and other influential delegates opposed to Trump to try to drop extraneous amendments avoid drama in the televised meeting room.”
Priebus Discusses Anti-Trump Push with State Leaders
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus “has been quietly having conversations with state party leaders to discuss the latest push by convention delegates to nominate anyone other than Donald Trump,” CNN reports.
“Priebus has spoken with GOP party chairmen in multiple states in recent days in part to get a better sense of how large the anti-Trump faction is among their convention delegations.”
NBC News: “Anti-Trump forces are launching what the organizer of the movement describes as a ‘multi-pronged’ approach to stop Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention, one that could cause chaos on the convention floor.”
ABC News: Why Trump may still face a delegate mutiny at the convention
Quote of the Day
“We’ve been working on this primary for over a year…and I’ve got to tell you. I think that all these stories that come out, and they come out every couple weeks, people just don’t care.”
— RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, quoted by The Hill, on stories about Donald Trump’s treatment of women.
Priebus Slams Never Trump Movement
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus “called for Republicans to unite ahead of the presidential election, striking back against the Never Trump movement,” The Hill reports.
Said Priebus: “It is essential to victory in November that we all support our candidate. This goes for everyone, whether you’re a county party chairman, an RNC member, or a presidential candidate. Politics is a team sport, and we can’t win unless we rally around whoever becomes our nominee.”
Trump Suggests He Could Oust Priebus
If Donald Trump clinches the 1,237 delegates required to win the Republican nomination, he told the Washington Post that he’s not sure he’ll keep Reince Priebus as chairman of the Republican National Committee.
Said Trump: “I don’t know. I haven’t made the determination.”
Quote of the Day
“Just because someone doesn’t like the kind of rules in particular states, doesn’t necessarily mean that the rules are rigged. It just means that they wish the delegates were awarded a different way.”
— RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, quoted by CBS News.
Priebus Says One of Final Three Will Win
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus predicted on Sunday the GOP presidential nominee is likely to be one of the three candidates still in the race, Politico reports.
Said Priebus: “At that point, if you get into a multi-ballot convention where you’ve got five or six or seven rounds, it’s possible a person can be nominated that’s not one of the three. But my position is — and…I think it’s absolutely correct — our nominee is likely to be one of the three people running.”
Another GOP Power Struggle Brewing
The Hill: “It’s the race to succeed Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, who’s expected to step down in January 2017 after a record six years.”
“If Donald Trump or another Republican is elected president this fall, the chairman’s contest will probably be a moot point. It’s tradition for the president to handpick the chairman of his own party.”
“But if Democrats win four more years in the White House, it will trigger an all-out scramble in the race for RNC chairman — a role that involves raising loads of cash and communicating the party’s message. To win, a candidate needs support from a simple majority of the 168 GOP national committee members, who represent all 50 states, D.C. and some territories.”
Quote of the Day
“History would show when someone’s a little bit short, you let the process play out, and if it’s that close, that’s generally what happens.”
— RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, quoted by The Hill, dismissing the notion that Donald Trump should be the nominee just because he has the most delegates.
Bonus Quote of the Day
“I think it’s possible, and we’re preparing for that possibility.”
— RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, in an interview with ABC News, on the chance of a contested Republican convention.
Priebus Says Every GOP Candidate Will Back Nominee
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said he expects every GOP presidential candidates to maintain his pledge to support the eventual nominee, Politico reports.
Said Priebus: “I think that all of these candidates are true to their word, that they will support the eventual nominee of our party. And we’ve always been able to come together. I think we will obviously have to come together, and there’ll be time for that process to take place.”
Priebus Insists ‘No Shell Games’ with Nomination
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus insisted that the rules of the GOP nominating process are “no different today than 100 years ago. Which is you have a process. And whatever candidate gets a majority of the delegates is going to get the support of the party. That’s how it works,” Politico reports.
He added: “It’s not going to be any different. There’s not going to be any shell games going on. That’s the process and we’re going to get it done.”
Quote of the Day
“I’m not one of these people that think that Donald Trump can’t win a general election.”
— RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, quoted by the Washington Post.
RNC Chair Admits They Want Biased Moderators
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus told ABC News that debate moderators “should give a rip” about the Republican party.
Quote of the Day
“It’s just something I think we ought to look at as a party. I don’t think there should ever be any sacred cows as to the primary process or the order.”
— RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, quoted by National Journal, on Iowa and New Hampshire’s early spots in the presidential primary calendar.
