Lankford: Dems may be headed for a brokered convention

TULSA — With the entry, and early success, of Michael Bloomberg in the 2020 Democratic race for a presidential nomination, the math which would allow a clear-cut winner before the July convention gets more difficult.

If no candidate has a firm commitment of 1,991 delegates, delegates at the convention would then choose a candidate to face Donald Trump in November.

U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-Okla) tells KRMG that's just what could happen in 2020.

“It has all the earmarks at this point of being a race that is not settled on Super Tuesday, and may not even be settled by the time they get to the convention,” Lankford said Wednesday.

[Hear our KRMG In-Depth Report featuring US Senator James Lankford]

“This could be the first time in a long time where we actually see a brokered convention, where no one comes with a clear majority to the convention, and you see the delegates at the convention actually pick the Democratic candidate,” he added.

That hasn't happened since 1952, when both Democrat Adlai Stevenson and Republican Dwight Eisenhower were chosen by what are called “brokered” or “contested” conventions.

Oklahomans will vote as part of Super Tuesday on March 3rd, 2020.

The state's Democratic primary is open to independent voters as well as registered Democrats.