HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — The Republican National Committee’s eight state convention threshold rule could be interpreted differently than anyone expects this summer in Cleveland.

Donald Trump and [crscore]Ted Cruz[/crscore] argue that Ohio Gov. John Kasich could never become the nominee, because Kasich cannot win eight primary contests to be eligible.

However, RNC Standing Rules Committee member Randy Evans told The Daily Caller at the Spring RNC Meeting Wednesday that a nominee does not need to “win” eight state primary contests to qualify to be put into contention — only the support of eight delegations at the convention.

“You do not have to win them. Because the rules says you have to demonstrate support of the majority of eight states as opposed to you have to win eight states,” Evans said. “So theoretically you could have a state — and the precedent is that’s what it was designed to do, which is to permit a state you didn’t win to nonetheless support putting your name in nomination.”

Known as Rule 40b, the eight state threshold came about at the GOP Tampa Convention in 2012, when the Romney campaign pushed it as a way to deny then-Rep. Ron Paul any chance of getting the nomination. The previous threshold was five states.

As a national committeeman, Evans is automatically included as a delegate from his state along with the Georgia National Committeewoman and the State Chairman. He is also an uncommitted delegate, who also serves on the nomination committee and is chairman of the Republican National Lawyers.

“All I do is go by the text of the rules and that’s what the rules say and I know that in the past there have been candidates who wanted their name put in nomination for optics from states they didn’t win and so one way they could get around that was to world the rule 40b that way,” Evans said.

Could an outside candidate, like a [crscore]Paul Ryan[/crscore] or Mitt Romney, be nominated on a second ballot if that candidate manages to persuade 8 delegations to support him on the floor of the convention?

Evans responded, “If they could get the majority of the delegates of eight states and demonstrate support, then yes, they could put their name in nomination.”

RNC General Counsel John Ryder told TheDC the words of the rule are “very clear.”

“You have to demonstrate the support of the majority of delegates from eight states,” Ryder said.

When asked if he thought candidates must wave won 8 contest primaries as a means to have that support, he replied: “You would have to have the support of those delegates.” He added, “That support could come from states where the delegates are not otherwise bound.”

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