Ballot Boxing: Paul Ryan and King David in the GOP contest

Welcome to Ballot Boxing, WORLD’s political roundup of news and views from the presidential campaign trail.

With the possibility of a contested convention growing likelier for Republicans this summer, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., squashed the notion he might emerge as an alternative for the GOP presidential nomination: “It’s not going to be me.”

Instead, Ryan said he aims to be “Switzerland” at the convention in Cleveland, Ohio—a neutral leader enforcing party rules, especially if delegates conduct several rounds of voting to choose a nominee.

Switzerland may be necessary in Cleveland: GOP front-runner Donald Trump predicted “riots” if he doesn’t automatically snag the nomination, even if he falls short of the 1,237 delegates required. “I’m representing many, many millions of people,” he said.

So are other candidates.

In GOP nominating contests so far, Trump has won over some 7.5 million voters. His opponents (combined) have tallied 12.8 million votes.

Winning the 1,237 delegates required to secure the nomination ahead of the convention isn’t out of Trump’s reach, but the bar is high: He’d need to win 57 percent of the remaining delegates in the final 22 contests. So far, Trump hasn’t won 50 percent of the vote in any of the primaries or caucuses.

The bar is even higher for Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. He’d have to win 83 percent of the remaining delegates to secure the nomination before the convention. Ohio Gov. John Kasich needs 112 percent—an obvious impossibility.

That means the candidates move forward with one eye on upcoming primaries and the other eye on the possibility for an open contest in Cleveland.

This week brought questions on foreign policy, and Cruz and Kasich published the names of dozens of foreign policy advisers for their campaigns. Cruz’s list included former Reagan White House adviser Elliott Abrams, while Kasich tapped former CIA director Alvin Krongard.

Trump named one adviser: Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala. When a journalist asked Trump who he listens to regarding foreign policy, Trump replied, “I’m speaking with myself, number one, because I have a very good brain and I’ve said a lot of things.”

Trump said he “talks to a lot of people” adding, “At the appropriate time I will tell you who they are.”

That time won’t be Monday night.

Trump said he wouldn’t appear at a Fox News debate set for Monday because he’s scheduled to give a speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on the same night. He added, “I think we’ve had enough debates.”

Republican candidates have participated in 12 debates, but none since the GOP field has been winnowed to three. Kasich dropped out of the debate after Trump withdrew, though Cruz said he would be willing to debate either candidate one-on-one.

One face that won’t show up in future debates: Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who suspended his campaign after a brutal defeat in his home state on Tuesday.

Rubio admitted his disappointment in an ugly presidential primary season, including his own contributions to it. In an interview with The New York Times, Rubio said his embarrassed teenage daughters asked why he called Trump a pants-wetter with a bad spray tan. Rubio didn’t have a good answer.

“And I’m someone who’s run this whole campaign trying to be above all that stuff,” he said. “For a brief moment, it even got to me.”

If the tenor of the presidential race is getting to others, Rubio offered a helpful perspective in his concession speech by ending with a prayer of King David in 1 Chronicles 29.

It’s a tribute not to a nation’s greatness or a leader’s might but to the Ruler of the earth, who is sovereign over world leaders and winding events—and who alone makes men or nations great:

“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone.”