If McCain dies between now and November..

[afleitch]

A pretty open question: Who do the GOP rally round?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Zombie Reagan

[John Dibble]

I would guess they would go with whomever McCain picks for his VP.

[Frodo]

Mitt Romney is my guess. 

[Gabu]

Zombie Reagan

No, the question was who they rally around if he dies.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Zombie Reagan

No, the question was who they rally around if he dies.

[Хahar 🤔]

If it's between the point he locks up the nomination and the convention, I'd say Huckabee, although Romney would restart his campaign. If after the convention, McCain's veep.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Either Romney or Huckabee.

[Mr. Morden]

It depends on the timing.  If it's after he picks his VP, then they probably go with his VP.

If it were to happen soon though, before he's locked up a majority of convention delegates, then, in all likelihood, all the candidates who've dropped out would restart their campaigns and compete in the remaining primaries.  Whoever does best in the remaining primaries would presumably win the nomination.

The most interesting scenario is what would happen if he were to die some time in between---say in either June or July, after the primaries are over, but before he's picked a running mate.  Then you'd have a scenario in which the majority of convention delegates are McCain delegates, presumably strong supporters of his, but they have to pick someone else.  I really don't know who most McCain delegates would go for.....but it probably wouldn't be either Huckabee or Romney.

Of course, it doesn't have to be anyone who was running in the primaries.  It could be anyone who could manage to get a majority of delegates at the convention.

[agcatter]

LOL.  Obama is much more likely to meet an unfortunate early death than McCain.  In fact with every single caucus and primary victory over Hillary, his life is in greater and greater jeapardy. 

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Probably Romney.  Maybe his biggest endorser, Giuliani?  (But probably/hopefully not).

[Aizen]

Funny (yet valid) topic

[WalterMitty]

a lot of these kind of questions were asked of dole back in 96.

12 years later and he is still around and active.

[Mr. Morden]

I don't think there's much chance that McCain will die within the next year, I just think it's an interesting hypothetical....the same hypothetical on the Dem. side is interesting as well.

[Person Man]

Do you think Guiliani will come back into the race with his boyfriend dead?

[Lincoln Republican]

Romney

[big bad fab]

Oh, you've guessed why Huckabee is still "marching on" !

He wants to gather more delegates than Romney to be ready to step in McCain's shoes if he dies before November.....

The problem for Huck is that a merciful God wouldn't allow Huckabee to be GOP candidate.
So, McCain won't die from disease, but in a bus crash, as he is travelling with Huckabee along small canyons in New Mexico, during the last, friendly and feisty primary, on June the 3rd.

And Mitt comes back.

[Gustaf]

It isn't really all that likely. But, yeah, it depends on the timing.

[elcorazon]

Ron Paul

[perdedor]

John Cox.