The chance to serve as a delegate at the Republican National Convention is something Christian Ziegler dreamed of his whole life. This July, he will get that opportunity as one of three party leaders representing this region of Florida, and it could happen during the most contentious convention of Ziegler’s lifetime. With it looking increasingly likely no presidential candidate will arrive at the convention with a secure majority of delegates pledged through primaries and caucuses, this could be the first open convention for the Grand Old Party since 1976. “It’s going to be a fascinating rest of the primary,” Ziegler said.

Party leaders for the Congressional district including Sarasota and Manatee counties this weekend selected Ziegler, state committeeman for Sarasota County, along with Republican Party of Sarasota Chairman Joe Gruters and Republican Party of Manatee Chairman Kathleen King to serve in Florida’s 99-member delegation in Cleveland. 

It’s an especially important sojourn for Gruters, who was selected as chairman for presidential candidate Donald Trump’s Florida campaign. In March, Trump won the primary here with 45 percent of the vote, but with a contested convention looming, Gruters expects his work is not done. “I will try and do everything I can to get a victory for Trump,” said Gruters, who remains hopeful Trump can win the target of 1,237 delegates through the primary and caucus process.

As for how an open convention would work, every state party has different rules. While the primaries and caucuses have locked in how most delegates must vote on a first vote at the convention, if no candidate wins a majority, an increasing number of delegates will be freed up to vote as they see fit with every subsequent tally. As of today, Trump leads the delegate battle with 743 pledged delegates compared to Texas. Sen. Ted Cruz’s 545 delegates and Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s 143 delegates. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, though he suspended his campaign after losing Florida to Trump, boasts 171 delegates. 

Florida delegates are bound to vote for Trump in the first three votes at the convention, but if a nomination hasn’t been settled by then, can vote as they choose on a fourth vote. If it reaches that point, Ziegler said he will select who to vote for based on a variety of factors. “Florida voters selected Trump during our Primary, so that must be taken into consideration by the delegates, but there's a lot of time between now and Cleveland, let alone how different the dynamics would be if we actually did make it to a fourth ballot,” Ziegler said. One thing Ziegler will actively resist is any attempt to put in an establishment selection who did not campaign during the primary season. “I oppose any effort by the Washington establishment and insiders to airdrop a candidate into the convention that is not an active candidate for President. That would be the worst possible situation for our country and our party.”

Gruters, for his part, is making the case Florida delegates need to respect the primary results. “All delegates should follow the will of the voters,” he said. Trump won handily here, with Rubio winning just 27 percent of the vote, well behind Trump but still far ahead of Cruz (17.1 percent) or Kasich (6.8 percent). “I certainly would hope delegates respect that,” Gruters said. “And if any stray, hopefully the voters will hold them accountable later on.”

The Republican National Convention is scheduled July 18-21 in Cleveland, Ohio.