GOP rules committee kills ‘Never Trump’ effort

Delegates to next week’s Republican National Convention will not be able to vote for whomever they want, a rules committee determined late Thursday. The decision effectively kills the “Never Trump” effort to nominate someone else to lead the party’s White House bid in November. Colorado delegate Kendal Unruh needed support from 28 rules committee members to force a floor vote during the convention on her proposal to let delegates “cast a vote of conscience.” But she was only able to persuade 21 committee members to stand with her. Instead, the rules committee clarified that delegates are indeed bound to the candidate selected by voters. Although Unruh and other Trump critics continued to lobby to put someone else at the top of the ticket, the lack of support from party leaders effectively doomed the effort. Even if Unruh’s measure had passed, it’s not clear who delegates could have nominated to challenge Trump.