Let Us Count The Ways: How GOPers Are Explaining Ducking Their Convention

It's not new that some politicians facing tough re-elections will skip out on national party convention, particularly when associating with the top-of-the-ballot nominee isn't a good look for them.

But the calculus facing GOP lawmakers in the 2016 cycle is particularly ugly. Senators defending seats in purple states might be show up to July's Republican National Convention in Cleveland for a pageant crowning Donald Trump -- who has alienated minorities, women, and many others -- their party leader. Or they might risk getting tangled up for a messy floor battle, in which a candidate perhaps just as toxic ends up wresting away the nomination.

So vulnerable Republicans have come up with some creative ways to explain why they haven't booked their plane tickets to Ohio just yet.

Here are the Republicans thinking about skipping the GOP convention and how they're spinning their reasons: