Many establishment Republicans don't want to see Donald Trump as the party's nominee, but the front-runner can beat out those "elements" if he "plays by the rules," former Republican National Committee deputy chairman Frank Donatelli told
Newsmax TV on Thursday.
"There are a lot of elements in the Republican Party that don't favor Mr. Trump for the nomination — and they want to do everything they can to deny him the nomination," he told "The Hard Line" host Ed Berliner.
"That being said, as long as they play within the rules and try to influence delegates and work at the convention, I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
"So, I would say to all the candidates — Mr. Trump, Mr. Cruz, and Mr. Kasich — keep trying to do everything you can to get the maximum numbers of delegates within the rules, and let's see what happens at the convention."
Watch Newsmax TV on
DirecTV Ch. 349, DISH Ch. 223 and
Verizon FiOS Ch. 115. Get Newsmax TV on your cable system —
Click Here Now
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.