The prospect of 16 candidates returning data from door knocks and phone calls to feed into statistical models to profile likely and potential Trump supporters promised a moment plump with irony. Many of the other Republican campaigns knew far more about who Trump’s supporters were than Trump’s own campaign did. After spending the primary season dismissive of their investments, Trump’s prospects against Hillary Clinton would be aided by the work of vanquished rivals who had spent more on survey-informed analytics (like Rubio) and volunteer-based field programs (like Cruz).

The return of data is typically part of the routine wind-down of a losing primary campaign, facilitated by operatives who are eager to aid the nominee and remain in good standing with party bosses who control general-election contracts. This year’s delay—which appears to be motivated by a blend of inertia, legal ambiguity, conscious stalling, and decided resistance—is one more place where Trump’s ability to put the party organization to work for him is complicated by mistrust and the residual grievance of those who are already looking beyond his candidacy.

“It could be contentious because all these guys are running in four years and don’t want to give it back,” said a Republican consultant who played a senior role working with data for a Trump’s rival.