question about primaries

[VladmireTrumpkins]

If someone wins a certain number of delegates in the primaries then drops out..can they assign their delegates to another candidate f their choice?
Thanks

[Moderateguy]

1. No....

Delegates are only pledged to the candidate that won them. They can release their delegates, but the delegates are free to vote their conscience. I haven’t seen anything to suggest that Pete and Amy have released their delegates.

[loyalsister]

2. I think they can ask them to

But I don't think they can assign them. "Unbought and Unbossed" is an outstanding documentary about Shirley Chisholm's run for president in 1972. It shows her going through process of releasing delegates, etc. at the end of her run.

[Sloumeau]

3. Here's what usually happens:

Anyone with delegates at Convention time usually shows up at the Convention. If he or she does not have enough to win the nomination outright, and if he or she does not think that he or she can get enough delegates through wheeling and dealing to get the nomination, then he or she usually decides who he or she wants his or her delegates to support. Then the candidate usually talks to candidate who he or she wants to support to see if the candidate can give the delegates something in return for the votes of the delegates. Let's say that a candidate gets an agreement from the candidate who will be receiving the votes for a new plank in the national platform, or a new bill in Congress.

Then, the original candidate usually holds a meeting with his or her delegates and tells them something like, "well, it looks like I won't be the nominee, but if we support *that* candidate, we will get *this* out of it. Most of the time, the delegates follow the advice of the candidate that they chose, and they often get something in return for supporting an alternate candidate that they like.