Rubio could wield power at the convention

Marco Rubio's grip on dozens of nominating delegates, despite suspending his presidential campaign, could help box out Donald Trump in Cleveland and force a contested convention.

The Florida senator exited the Republican campaign in mid-March. But officially, Rubio remains a candidate, and that entitles him to as many 91, and possibly more, of the approximately 167 delegates he won in various caucuses and primaries. Rubio's hold on these delegates, and how deep into a contested convention fight it would stick (if at all) is determined by the varied rules of the state Republican parties where they were won.

"Our nominee will be the candidate who gets the 1,237 [delegate] votes, not just who comes closest. It may happen on the first ballot — or not. It is just too early to tell," said a senior member of the Republican National Committee and GOP rules committee veteran. "Every state has different rules."

National Review's Eliana Johnson first reported on the complexitiesof Rubio's delegates and their potential significance should July's Republican convention is contested. Trump, the New York celebrity businessman and front-runner, leads the race for delegates over Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. But the billionaire populist could fall short of the 1,237 he needs to secure the nomination before the primary season concludes in June.

Rubio suspended his campaign on March 15, after losing his home state primary, and its 99 winner-take-all delegate prize, to Trump. A Rubio campaign official did not respond to request for comment on the senator's plans going forward.