RNC chair: GOP will embrace its nominee

by Jesse Byrnes - 03/10/16 8:56 PM ET

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus insisted Thursday night that the Republican Party would embrace its nominee, even if it was businessman Donald Trump.

“This party is going to support the nominee, whoever it is, 100 percent,” Priebus said to tepid applause on stage in Miami before the latest GOP debate. “No question about that.”

{mosads}Republicans have struggled for months on whether to embrace Trump, the controversial businessman leading the GOP race, or rally around one of his rivals.

Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) is the closest to knocking off Trump based on the number of accrued delegates, and he has expressed openness for a contested convention in July.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) are also battling to win their home states on March 15, with a large number of delegates up for grabs in winner-take-all contests.

“Can you at least agree with me, without question, that any four of these gentlemen would be a world better than Hillary Clinton or a socialist in Bernie Sanders?” Priebus asked Thursday night before the candidates took to the stage in their latest debate.

Tags 2016 GOP primary Bernie Sanders Donald Trump GOP debates Hillary Clinton Marco Rubio Ted Cruz