Countdown to the GOP convention

Donald Trump is gearing up for next week’s Republican National Convention and perhaps preparing to make a major announcement.

Speaking with Fox News on Tuesday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said an announcement of Trump’s choice for a vice presidential running mate could come as early as today or tomorrow: “Certainly no later than Friday, because they’re going to want to dominate the news with the new vice-presidential selection.”

Gingrich said the “veepstakes” finalists include Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Others have speculated Gingrich himself could be in the running.

Pence has credibility with conservatives and evangelicals, and he’s a former lawmaker. He’s experienced and connected in Washington, and he doesn’t come with quite as much baggage as Gingrich or Christie would. Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn has also apparently been vetted. But he’s made some remarks that suggest he’s fairly liberal on social issues, so Trump would be asking for trouble with the Republican base if he went in that direction.

Meanwhile, anti-Trump forces in the Republican Party are planning to make their final stand in hopes of denying him the nomination at the convention. A fight in the rules committee starts today. The “Free the Delegates” effort wants to change the rules to officially allow delegates to vote their conscience, even if that means voting against their states’ caucus or primary results. They want to ensure delegates won’t face any sort of punishment from the Republican Party should they break rank.

In a token victory for the movement, a federal judge this week blocked a Virginia law that would force all of that state’s GOP delegates to vote for Trump. But the effort to oust Trump still seems like a bit of a long shot. Even if it did succeed in changing the rules, it would still face an uphill climb to find enough delegates willing to supplant Donald Trump.

There are also rumors that some in the anti-Trump camp are plotting to tie his hands on choosing his running mate. The vice presidential nominee technically is decided by a delegate vote, and the delegates don’t have to support the nominee’s pick. Another rule change has been proposed that would clarify the power the delegates have to assert their will if they don’t like Trump’s choice.

Trump’s adversaries also will have an opportunity to oppose adopting his positions as part of the GOP platform. Trump and the party’s base seem to part ways on gay rights and some other issues. But on at least one big topic, the platform seems to be edging his way. One line in the new platform reads, “We need better negotiated trade agreements that put America first,” adopting some of Trump’s terminology.

But the committee does not appear to be taking Trump’s side denouncing NAFTA or the Trans Pacific Partnership. An effort is underway to move in Trump’s direction, but plenty of gaps remain between Trump and the party platform.

Listen to White House Wednesday on the July 13, 2016, episode of The World and Everything in It.