Karl Rove: 2 things to watch for on the 2020 campaign trail

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Rove: When and where 2020 candidates spend their money will have a huge impact

Fox News contributor Karl Rove breaks down the importance of fund raising as the Democratic primary closes in.

Karl Rove says voters should watch for two things on the campaign trail in 2020: cash on hand and delegate numbers.

Appearing on "America's Newsroom" with host Eric Shawn, the Fox News contributor said Tuesday that fundraising numbers were important but that he believes in the new year "we're likely to find at least four candidates who've raised enough money to be competitive in the first four primaries and caucuses ... and beyond on March third."

"We'll have six people, I suspect, with enough money to be competitive through the third of March. By which time, 48 percent of the delegates will have been selected," he told Shawn.

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Rove urged Shawn to "think about it."

"Forty-eight percent of the delegates will have been selected at the convention in less than five weeks. So, what if they get split up among four or five candidates?" he asked. "What if Biden gets a bunch? Warren gets a bunch? Sanders gets a bunch? Buttigieg gets a bunch? Bloomberg gets some. Maybe Tom Steyer gets a few here and there. Maybe Amy Klobuchar gets a few here and there. Minnesota's going to vote early. She's going to do well there."

"The more you chop up that 48 percent, the more difficult it gets to be to have 50 percent on the first ballot," he said. "And remember, by the end of March ... nearly seven out of every 10 delegates to the Democratic National Convention will be chosen by the end of March ... "

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However. Rove says "things could get ugly," come springtime.

"I predict that nobody arrives in Milwaukee with a majority of the delegates," said Rove.

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"Now, they could win on a first ballot. But, only if there's a preliminary ballot that gives the sense that somebody's way ahead and people stand up and say, 'Oh, you know, Ohio changes or Colorado changes from X to Y.' 'Or, you know, a second ballot,'" he added.

"And, remember if they go to a second ballot, there are 765 superdelegates who are unelected. ... Those people get to vote on the second ballot. They're not present on the first ballot. Boy, it could be a really complicated picture in Milwaukee," Rove remarked.