After hours of long lines and caucusing, a majority of Kansas republicans decided to vote for Ted Cruz.
But in July, when it comes to finally choosing the party nominee, voters will not have the final word. Delegates selected from each state will.
Meet the delegates
Chad Bettis, Amanda Grosserode and Vicki Sciolaro are the three delegates chosen to represent Kansas at the 2016 Republican National Convention.
In a vote Monday night, 108 Republicans cast ballots for who they wanted to represent the Third Congressional District in July. This will be the fifth RNC for Bettis.
Grosserode is co-chair of the Ted Cruz campaign in Kansas. She got a little help from the candidate himself in this email sent to delegates in the Third District.
I self-nominated to be a KS delegate to the National Convention. Tonight the 3rd district selects their delegates. Here...
Posted by Amanda Grieser Grosserode on Monday, March 28, 2016
Grosserode told 41 Action News she wants to go "because it's the first convention in my lifetime and many of our lifetimes that could be a contested convention. Being a delegate means more this year than it's ever meant before."
Sciolaro chairs the Third Congressional District of the Republican Party in Kansas and went to the 2012 RNC. "That really to me was fun but I didn't feel like I had a voice. This time we're going to have a voice," she said.
A congressman weighs in
Rep. Kevin Yoder was in town for the vote.
"It's an exciting time for our party. It's an opportunity to nominate the Republican presidential candidate," Yoder said.
He added he would like to see delegates "that work to unify the party and to represent the values and voices of the people in Kansas is important to making sure that we have a convention that runs well."
What are delegates?
To win a party’s nomination, a candidate will need to secure a specific amount of delegates. For the Republican Party, that magic number is 1,237.
During the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, delegates will cast their vote for a particular candidate based on preferences of voters in their state.
How does the delegate selection process work?
Unlike other states, Kansas Republican delegates are bound to vote for certain candidates unless that candidate releases the delegates they earned.
Statewide breakdown:
- 24 delegates: Ted Cruz
- 9 delegates: Donald Trump
- 6 delegates: Marco Rubio
- 1 delegate: John Kasich
The Third Congressional District of Kansas will send three delegates to the national convention. Two delegates will represent Sen. Ted Cruz and one will represent Sen. Marco Rubio, unless the Florida senator releases his delegates.
“There is a lot of interest of what will happen to Rubio's delegates,” said Clay Barker, the executive director of the Kansas Republican Party. “If he releases them, which most people assume he will either before or after the first vote at the national convention, then that delegate becomes a free agent and can do whatever they want.”
Who can be a delegate?
On Monday night, Republicans from Wyandotte and Johnson counties gathered to elect three delegates and three alternatives from a list of more than 70 applicants.
Anyone registered as a Republican could have nominated themselves for the position. They had to answer questions, such as how involved they have been with the party.
According to Barker, Kansas’ system is designed to give grassroots advocates an opportunity to be rewarded for their hard work.
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