North Central College Professor Quoted in New York Times

Suzanne Chod Talks Brokered and Contested Conventions in National Article

As political analysts continue to study the 2020 presidential primaries, some question the likelihood of a brokered or contested convention. North Central College's Suzanne Chod, associate professor of political science, shared her opinion on the matter with reporter Maria Cramer of the New York Times.

A brokered convention happens when a candidate fails to win a majority of delegates after the first round of voting, something that has not occurred with either party- Democratic or Republican- since 1952. Delegates keep voting until a nominee is picked. In between votes, horse trading and negotiating may go on behind the scenes, with candidates promising each other the vice presidency or another job in exchange for dropping out.

While it's been nearly 70 years since there was a nomination fight on a convention floor, Chod suspects it would not likely take place given the Democratic party's objective in this particular election.

"The No. 1 thing on the mind of current primary voters is beating the current president, and the last thing they should want is a contested convention," said Chod. "Even if it could be fun to watch." Visit the New York Times' website to read the full article.