WASHINGTON — A case being heard in federal court Thursday involving Virginia election law could help bury or give life to the “Never (Donald) Trump” movement.
Republican National Convention Delegate Carroll “Beau” Correll Jr. of Winchester, Virginia, wants a federal judge to invalidate Virginia election laws that dictate delegates caste votes on the first ballot for the state primary winner. That would help him avoid voting for the presumptive nominee at the party convention later this month.
Correll says he won’t vote for Trump because he believes the billionaire businessman is unfit to serve as president.
“Now obviously if this happens, then I’m sure there’s other people in other states that’ll attempt to put a suit in before Cleveland starts,” said vice chair of Trump’s Virginia campaign John Fredericks.
Fredericks and seven other delegates are counter suing to defend state requirements that Correll’s first vote be bound.
Virginia binds its delegates’ first round of votes at the convention to the results of the March 1 primary, which Trump won.
“Correll knew exactly what he was getting into,” Fredericks said. “He got elected as a national delegate to Cleveland after Super Tuesday’s primary. The results were already in,.”
If Virginia election laws are not invalidated, Correll could be subject to fines and jail time if he goes to the National Convention and votes for anyone other than Trump in the first round.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
