This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Gayle Ruzicka and Utah's anti-Trump delegates have rounded up signatures from more than half of the state's delegation in a last-ditch effort to try to derail Donald Trump's nomination.
Ruzicka, delegates Stefani Stone Williams, David Pyne and others were cornering fellow delegates in the lobby of the hotel Monday morning to sign a petition calling for a floor vote on the rules for the 2016 convention.
It's a long shot, but Trump opponents see the floor vote as a final attempt to stop Trump from becoming the party's standard bearer.
It would play out like this: Seven states can demand a floor vote on the rules. Trump opponents hope that if there's a floor vote, they can reject the rules for the convention. If they do that, they hope, the convention will revert to the rules for the 2012 convention, which included a "conscience clause" which Trump opponents contend will unbind delegates and allow them to vote against Trump's nomination.
Ruzicka said other states are working to gather signatures, as well, and some, like Washington, already have a majority of their delegations on board.
One of those who plans to vote to reject the rules is Sen. Mike Lee, who, along with his wife, Sharon, were Utah's representatives on the rules committee.
"The rules process didn't turn out quite the way we had hoped and we ended up with a package of rules that I don't think serves the Republican Party well," Lee said. "When we're asked to vote on those rules today, I'm going to vote against the rules package."
The delegation clapped loudly at that point.
The rules fight will play out this afternoon, as the convention is called to order. Stay tuned.
— Robert Gehrke (@robertgehrke)