LETTER: GOP's delegate selection should follow primary

The Montana Republican Party should reschedule its delegate Selection Committee meeting to after the primary.

Currently, the Montana Republican Party is scheduled to hold a Delegate Selection Convention on May 14. With the Montana primary being held on June 7, scheduling the delegate convention before the primary is a mistake.  

The results of the primary should determine the selection of the delegates. If Donald Trump or Ted Cruz win the most votes in the winner-take-all Montana primary, then the delegates selected should be individuals who support them. If there is a brokered convention, as expected, the second ballot and maybe even the third ballot could determine the winner.

By hosting the delegate convention before June 7, no one can know the outcome of the primary. That means that all of the delegates selected early might even be supporters for Jeb Bush, Paul Ryan or Mitt Romney.  They could easily vote for one of these three on the second and following ballots and maybe, just maybe, that could be the reason why delegates will be selected on May 14 and ahead of the primary.

—Gary and Joan Carlson, Victor