Can someone please explain why the GOP needed fewer delegates (to cinch the nomination) than the Democrats?

Question

It is my understanding that the difference is considerable.

I'm curious.

Answer 1

Each party has a different number of total delegates.

Answer 2

Each party is independent and has different rules. This is also why FL and MI did not count to Democrats but did count with Republicans.

Answer 3

Simply the Primaries are Party elections as such they follow the rules set forth by those Parties. Dems wanted super delegates to make sure there wasnt a repeat of the McGovern fiasco when a candidate who was unelectable won the primary but had no chance of winning against Nixon. So they made the the superdelegates from the party "elites" to prevent this happening again. ( while screaming every vote must count.. they are comical indeed) They felt they couldnt trust the voters so put an extra 900 or so delegates that they controlled the votes of.

Answer 4

the Democrats want to make sure the "right" person gets the nomination. So they make sure that they can fix the vote. Its a time honored Liberal tradition.

Answer 5

hmmmmmmm.........!

yep, that mystery to me also~!!!

Answer 6

to start the GOP does not use ''super delegates'' as the GOP lets the people decide...  

The Democrat party does not trust the people to vote the right way so if the people get it wrong then the super's fix it.

Actually the Dems should be called by their proper name 'Communists' and the Rep's should be called 'Capitalists'.  Then at least then we will each be voting for what we want.  No tricks, everything above board.

Answer 7

Actually your understanding is a bit flawed.

The GOP does not have a delegate process for the Presidential Primary. This system only exists in the DNC. The GOP uses a pure democratic system which means “winner takes all.” The DNC once used the same system but with the nomination of George McGovern in the 1970’s which lead to a 49-1 loss to Nixon, the DNC decided that is was unwise to subject such an important decision to the voters. Hence the delegate process was born. Should the voters choose a candidate that the Party feels unelectable, the delegates may simply nominate the Party’s choice over that of the voters.