Ohio Gov. John Kasich is set to lobby Republican Party leaders when they meet in Florida next week as his team continues its behind-the-scenes push to get him nominated at the Republican convention in Cleveland in July.
Kasich will meet with the leaders in Hollywood Wednesday evening at an event hosted by Ohio’s members of the Republican National Committee, according to an email invitation that was sent to RNC members. A copy of the invitation was obtained by CNN on Thursday.
A spokesman for Kasich did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday afternoon.
The campaigns for Ted Cruz and Donald Trump are also planning to make presentations at the spring gathering next week on their plans to win the White House.
Top brass from the Cruz campaign, including campaign manager Jeff Roe, senior adviser Saul Anuzis and delegate director Ken Cuccinelli, are scheduled to brief Republican leaders on their path to victory, Anuzis told CNN. The Trump campaign is also expected to speak with Republican leaders at the meeting, but a date and time has not been set yet.
But the stakes may be highest for Kasich, as a rule approved for the 2012 convention would block him from even being nominated in Cleveland.
Rule 40b requires that a candidate win the majority of delegates from eight states or territories in order to be nominated. It was designed to clamp down on Ron Paul’s insurgent campaign, but has the potential to block Kasich at the convention if adopted for the 2016 convention.
The RNC itself will not get a direct say in that rule, but many of the RNC members are likely to be on the convention panel that decides the rules of the 2016 convention.
