openpolitics.com

Ted’s the Ticket

Cruz could fight to the end, picking up delegates in states that divide them proportionally (Utah, New York, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico), and roll into Cleveland with the largest klatch of non-Trump delegates and a legitimate claim to represent the faction of the party — “very conservative” voters — whom Trump most needs to mollify.

And what better way to mollify them than by putting Ted on the ticket?

.. [Cruz] doesn’t owe the party anything — every delegate he got, he got on his own. His voters are primed to expect betrayal by the party establishment, and have already shown a willingness to believe Cruz if he says they are being betrayed. And his entire history in the Senate is one of refusing to take orders. If he makes threats, they are credible.

And as long as he keeps winning delegates, his leverage increases.

So why would he drop out of the race to pave the way for a more electable nominee?