Marco Rubio Marco Antonio RubioFlorida senators pushing to keep Daylight Savings Time during pandemic Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings MORE’s campaign manager is openly discussing the possibility of a brokered convention, saying the nomination fight may drag on through the summer with no candidate securing enough delegates to claim victory.

Speaking with The Associated Press following Rubio’s fifth-place finish in the New Hampshire primary, Terry Sullivan said he’d be “surprised” if the GOP’s nominating contest was wrapped up before the July 18 convention in Cleveland.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We very easily could be looking at May — or the convention,” Sullivan said. “I would be surprised if it's not May or the convention.”

Many mainstream conservatives, who are panicked by the thought of a Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE or Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzLoeffler calls for hearing in wake of Netflix's 'Cuties' Health care in the crosshairs with new Trump Supreme Court list 'Parks and Rec' cast members hosting special reunion to raise money for Wisconsin Democrats MORE nomination, are hoping a candidate emerges from the crowded establishment lane that includes Rubio, Jeb Bush and John Kasich.

Many believed Rubio was primed to be that candidate after his stronger-than-expected showing in Iowa, but a disastrous debate performance in New Hampshire on Saturday night sent him spiraling to a fifth-place finish in the Granite State.

Now establishment-minded Republicans are looking at a long slog that could go deep into the race if one of their preferred candidates is to emerge to challenge Trump or Cruz.

Earlier in the cycle, talk of a brokered convention infuriated supporters of Trump, Cruz and Ben Carson after a report that party leaders met privately to discuss the possibility, ostensibly meant to derail the hopes of any candidate deemed unelectable by party elites.

The Republican National Committee pushed back on those reports, saying that far from plotting a convention takeover, it’s merely managing the nuts and bolts of the race to make sure it has a process in place to handle a scenario in case no clear winner has emerged by July.