Donald Trump got out-hustled in Colorado -- where the superior grassroots organization of Sen. Ted Cruz saw the Texan sweep all 34 of the state's delegates who will appear at the Republican nominating convention in Cleveland.
Trump's supporters fear a similar outcome in Georgia on Saturday, where Republicans will gather in each congressional district to pick more than half of the 76 delegates and their alternates for the convention.
The real estate mogul''s top campaign aide in the state sounded the alarm on Thursday.
"Mr. Trump won Georgia by more than 14 points, almost 200,000 more votes than his next closest rival," Trump state director Brandon Phillips wrote in an email, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "He also carried 155 counties out of 159. Ted Cruz didn’t win a single county. Because of this landslide victory, Mr. Trump was awarded 42 delegates. We’re asking that the Republican officials honor his victory this Saturday with fair representation."
"If you are willing to attend one of these meetings this Saturday morning and show your support for Mr. Trump, please contact the volunteer coordinator nearest you," he added.
However, as the AJC notes, the deadline to attend a meeting as a delegate has passed -- convention delegates were selected last month at county-level meetings across the state.
The reality TV personality's supporters appear to be unaware of the rules. Some have aired their grievances on Facebook. Others have urged fellow Trump fans to call district chairs and protest. One post on the "Georgia for Donald Trump" Facebook page claims Rachel Little, chair of the Georgia GOP for the 4th congressional district, is "not allowing known Trump supporters to interview as a delegate."
"The establishment likes to say we don't know the rules and yet they won't give them out when people ask. She is also not allowing known Trump supporters to interview as a delegate for Cleveland. Please call ASAP and ask her why she is abusing her power," reads the post.
The group complains in another post about Mike Fitzgerald, chair of the 6th district GOP, tells supporters to call and "ask him to stop dragging his feet on providing the necessary paperwork for Trump supporters to attend the convention."
The deadline to be considered as a Delegate or Alternate in the 6th District, was April 7. The rules for doing so are clearly posted on the Georgia GOP website.
Trump carried Georgia by 14 points -- winning 42 of the state's delegates. Those delegates are only bound to vote for him on the first ballot. If Cruz's campaign manages to ensure that some of those delegates are favorable to his cause, he can increase the chances of winning the nomination on the second ballot.
Requests for comment to Little and Fitzgerald were not immediately returned.
Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims — 1.6 billion members of an entire religion — from entering the U.S.
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