Among the Democrats, the possibility of a protracted fight and some sort of brokered settlement seems to be growing, taking the party into uncharted territory. The last time the Democrats held a seriously contested convention was in 1952, when Illinois Gov. Adlai Stevenson was nominated on the third ballot to run against Gen. Dwight Eisenhower. Republicans had a similarly bruising 1952 national convention that ended only after Gen. Eisenhower challenged the delegates from three Southern states and replaced them with his own supporters. The chances of the Democrats’ convention going that far are nil, say political experts. Communication has improved, so campaigns and party leaders don’t have to wait until they meet on the convention floor to settle a rules dispute or broker a compromise. “Everyone in their calmer moments is going to try to avoid” taking the issue to the convention floor, says University of Texas political scientist Bruce Buchanan.
The Wall Street Journal
Will Democrats Have to Cut a Deal for Nomination?
(Feb. 1)
