Portland, ORE– Oregon delegates to the Republican National Convention this summer must pledge to back the winner of the state’s presidential primary, a top state party official confirmed.
Tracy Honl, Oregon’s Republican national committeewoman, clarified the party’s rules for the 31 delegates who will cast the state’s votes for the GOP presidential nominee at the July convention in Milwaukee, Wis.
A national reporter sparked confusion among some Oregon political analysts last week by asserting the state party would select delegates at a May 25 convention independent of the May 21 primary.
The Oregon Republican Party’s bylaws call for a convention where precinct committee persons will select their delegates and alternates.
While the bylaws don’t require delegates to support the winner of the primary, a separate set of rules adopted by the state party’s central committee do.
Those rules lay out qualifications for delegates, including that they submit a written pledge to support the presidential candidate who wins the state’s primary election.
Oregon’s delegates would be free to vote for other candidates if the national convention doesn’t choose a nominee after two rounds of ballots.