Should Trump start collecting signatures now ...

[Tender Branson]

See here:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=232443.0

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

It's a dilemma for Trump with no good answers. He's already missed his shot at the best one: definitively win in the first half of the race.

If he doesn't start now, he'll have no good options if the GOP establishment screws him over at the convention. (Whatever his definition of that is.)

But if he does start, it gives those opposing him a potential tool to use to paint him as a liar, and would certainly be used as justification for denying him the nomination.

[Tender Branson]

It's a dilemma for Trump with no good answers. He's already missed his shot at the best one: definitively win in the first half of the race.

If he doesn't start now, he'll have no good options if the GOP establishment screws him over at the convention. (Whatever his definition of that is.)

But if he does start, it gives those opposing him a potential tool to use to paint him as a liar, and would certainly be used as justification for denying him the nomination.

Maybe, but if he communicates the "pawn" message effectively, it could help him gain even more supporters in the coming primaries - pushing him closer to 50%+ delegates ...

[DINGO Joe]

He should, but that would require actual organization, which he's not real big on.

[MK]

I agree he should .  It would stop these fools from talking about a contested convention.   

[Tender Branson]

He should, but that would require actual organization, which he's not real big on.

Why would that be so hard for him to achieve ? Even candidates like Jill Stein managed to get on the TX ballot in 2012 ...

[Seneca]

He won't be able to get on the ballot in Texas no matter what. See here: uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=232226.0

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Now that I think about, we've already been told what Trump's response will be.

Trump Predicts (Promises?) Riots If the Nomination Is Taken From Him at the Convention
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/03/trump-predicts-riots-if-he-loses-at-convention.html

Why should he bother with signatures, when he can just threaten to have his Stormtrumpers wreck stuff?

[Tender Branson]

He won't be able to get on the ballot in Texas no matter what. See here: uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=232226.0

...

Texas and South Dakota have "sore loser" laws which prohibit a candidate who has lost a major party's nomination for the presidency to run for president as an independent. Of 45 states with similar books on the laws, these are the only two states which appear to apply to presidential candidates. This takes 41 electoral votes out of play for Trump.

But that means he can still collect the signatures for TX until May 9, because the GOP convention is ... after that deadline. Which means Trump technically has not "lost" the GOP nomination yet at the time of the TX deadline.

Or does the "sore loser" law apply to the TX GOP primary results ?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

He won't be able to get on the ballot in Texas no matter what. See here: uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=232226.0

Thank you. That's a very well presented collection of a lot of very nice research.

[Why]

If it becomes clear in the short term that the GOP is going to ignore the primaries via some tricks then could Trump withdraw and try and get around the sore loser laws by  saying he was winning the nomination just decided he no longer wanted it?

[Why]

Could Trump start a new party and get on the ballots that way?

[President Johnson]

Undecided, but lean yes. Keep pressure on the establishment to accept TRUMP.

[SteveRogers]

He won't be able to get on the ballot in Texas no matter what. See here: uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=232226.0

...

Texas and South Dakota have "sore loser" laws which prohibit a candidate who has lost a major party's nomination for the presidency to run for president as an independent. Of 45 states with similar books on the laws, these are the only two states which appear to apply to presidential candidates. This takes 41 electoral votes out of play for Trump.

But that means he can still collect the signatures for TX until May 9, because the GOP convention is ... after that deadline. Which means Trump technically has not "lost" the GOP nomination yet at the time of the TX deadline.

Or does the "sore loser" law apply to the TX GOP primary results ?

The Texas statute applies to anyone who competed in the Texas primary, even the winner of the Texas GOP primary. The final convention results don't matter.