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Donald Trump said (Source: USA Today) that the delegate system is set up in such a way that you can send the delegate on a nice luxurious vacation which may incline them to vote for you.

Is this possible?

Do we have any evidence or record of a delegate gaining personal luxury benefits funded by a political origin in any way shape or form?

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1 Answers1

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Yes, and it's happened in the past. During the 1976 election, incumbent President Ford was in a primary battle with Ronald Reagan. In order to sway the unbound Mississippi delegation, President Ford rides on Air Force One and state dinners.1, 2, 3, 4

Uncommitted GOP Delegates Are About To Become The New Political ‘It Girls’:

when the queen of England arrived at the White House for a sumptuous state dinner, the gentleman the president chose to seat her next to was Clarke Reed, chairman of the largest uncommitted delegation — Mississippi’s, with thirty convention votes.

uncommitted South Carolina delegate Sherry Shealy Martschink [said] she had been invited to the White House for a dinner with the King of Spain.

Here are more examples:

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  • But however much those things may stroke a feeble ego, they do not seem to be financial benefits, The benefit of a free meal would likely be much less than the cost of travel to Washington, buying fancy clothing, &c. – jamesqf Apr 18 '16 at 17:18
  • If you want the "financial" answer, you should put it in the text of the question, not only in the title. – GEdgar Apr 19 '16 at 21:45