Washington state Republican convention supports Cruz over Trump

SEATTLE, May 23 (UPI) -- Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, even though he has suspended his presidential bid, received 40 out of 41 individual national Republican delegates at the Washington State Convention.

Delegates are bound by the results of Tuesday's presidential primary, but they are free to vote for any candidate on a second ballot at the convention in Cleveland in July.

One delegate's preference wasn't announced.

Also, three state party leaders will attend the national convention.

Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump doesn't have the necessary 1,237 delegates to secure the nomination but he's the only candidate still running after Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich dropped out last month.

According to RealClearPolitics, Trump has 1,161 delegates with six states remaining, including Washington.

Cruz supporters worked to secure as many loyalists as possible during the convention, which drew more than 1,600 to Pasco's TRAC Center on Saturday.

"I am delighted that constitutional conservative activists who have worked so hard for 13 months were rewarded by the convention with the privilege of representing our state in Cleveland," Saul Gamoran, Cruz's state chairman, told KING 5 television.

Besides voting for the nominee, the delegates also hope to influence the party platforms.

Some statewide GOP candidates said they couldn't vote for Trump.

"The presidential race is its own deal," GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Bryant said to The Seattle Times.

During his speech Friday night he didn't mention Trump by name and refused to say whether he would vote for Trump.

Chris Vance, a former state GOP chairman and current candidate for U.S. Senate, said he won't support Trump.

"Do you think I enjoy this? Not supporting the nominee? It's unpleasant," Vance said.

State Sen. Don Benton, who is Trump's campaign chairman, was unable to nab a national delegate slot.

Meanwhile, In Missouri, the state convention in Branson picked its delegates proportionally to the outcome of the March 15 primary.

Of the 25 delegates picked Saturday, 19 are pledged to Trump and six are pledged to Cruz, who finished second in the primary. Also, three party leaders were already pledged to Trump along with 15 delegate at the congressional district level. Cruz won nine district-level delegates.