Washington GOP delegate joins anti-Trump coup

Donald J. Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee. "We will have so much winning if I get elected, that you will get bored with winning... believe me," he said in a speech.

But an eleventh-hour battle is raging behind the scenes that could deny Trump the Republican nomination. And some members of Washington State's delegation are playing a big role.

TRANSCRIPT

This year's Republican convention will be packed with all of the usual pomp and political theater.

Trump is even talking about a "winner's night" to showcase celebrities who back him. But there's a chance for some authentic drama this year, if this Washington state woman has anything to say about it --

Blanchard-Reed: “I'm not a party insider."

But Gina Blanchard-Reed is a delegate to GOP Convention. And she also serves on the Convention's Rules Committee, which will ask a serious question this week: Should an elected delegate be free to vote for the candidate of their choice?

Blanchard-Reed: "Since the founding of the GOP up until 1976, delegates were free to vote their conscience."

And Blanchard-Reed says that system made sense.

Blanchard-Reed: “You know, just like when we elect representatives we want them to consider the thoughts of their constituents. But the person that we elect does have their own individual conscience, and that's where I think this issue is coming to the forefront."

So why is this suddenly a matter of conscience this year for some Republicans?

Blanchard-Reed: "I've received literally - I can't even count now the stacks - a couple reams of paper of emails, people, lifelong Republicans that are very concerned about the presumptive nominee."

Donald Trump.

Trump: "And we will make American great again."

Blanchard-Reed says a lot of the Republicans tell her they simply don't believe him.

Although she's quick to add ...

Blanchard-Reed: "... That does not mean that the result would change, but it would be more of a free will vote."

Blanchard-Reed and others say this issue of conscience is so important; the rules committee alone shouldn't decide it. It should go to a full vote on the convention floor. And if that happens, she says, anything's possible.

But other Washington State Republicans tell me Donald Trump got the most votes.

And they're still confident he will be their nominee.