Uniting either party in US will be no easy task

As the ‘nuclear option’ of a contested convention looms large for the Republicans, the Democrats face their own woes after a bruising candidate battle left the party wounded, writes Bette Browne

THE explosive prospect of a contested convention is drawing closer for Republicans in the US presidential race as the party manoeuvres to block frontrunner Donald Trump from winning the nomination.

Such a convention has been dubbed the “nuclear option” for a good reason. It’s tough to pull off and extremely divisive, so much so that it’s almost 70 years since the party saw its last one.