This weekend, the presidential race seemed to take a big turn. On the Republican side, the establishment hit the panic button and realized that Donald Trump will almost certainly be their nominee. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton’s almost 50 point win in South Carolina gives her solid momentum going into Super Tuesday.
A New York Times piece this weekend highlighted the level of concern among Republicans. Polls show that Trump might sweep the Super Tuesday states. The Donald could quickly amass enough wins and delegates to clinch the GOP nomination. As panic sets in, Republicans are finally attacking Trump after months of basically giving him a pass.
Senate Majority Mitch McConnell told his caucus that members up for re-election should run against Trump, admitting that Clinton would likely win the White House and the Senate needs to hold her in check. Well, that argument works both ways. A Trump nomination puts Senate races like Richard Burr’s into serious play.
Republicans seem to be searching for long-shot answers. One GOP insider told me that party rules implemented to protect Mitt Romney from a challenge from Ron Paul in 2012 have been left in place and are now protecting Trump from challengers like Marco Rubio or John Kasich. The insiders who have run the Republican Party are now the enemy of the base they need to win.
On the Democratic side, Clinton seems poised to win big on Tuesday night and probably on March 15 when North Carolina, Florida and Ohio vote. Sanders has failed to attract the diversity he’s needs to win the nomination. African-Americans supported Clinton by an overwhelming margin in South Carolina and seem ready to support her in other Southern states as well. Sanders is still raising money and has ardent supporters but the cracks in Clinton’s firewall appear to be exaggerated.
The week begins with Trump and Clinton looking like inevitable nominees. Trump, for his part, will receive a lashing as the establishment of his party begins trying to take him down. Clinton and Sanders will probably continue their relatively cordial primary, despite the rancor of the partisans supporting them. Republicans understand that a Trump nomination could unleash a wave election as big as the ones they enjoyed in 2010 and 2014. Democrats, including Sanders, realize that they may have an opportunity that didn’t seem possible just weeks ago.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
I suggest that everybody read the March 10 issue of “Rolling Stone” magazine. Matt Tiabbi has the cover story: “Trump Unbound: On the Campaign Trail by Matt Taibbi”. His analysis of the Democrat and Republican responses to Trump are amazingly informative and full of common sense–unlike a lot of political writers who are hacks for one side or the other.
How disappointing that Mr Mill’s steadfastly continues his blind and irrational support of the Democratic Wall Street Candidate. You reap what you sow; enjoy the continued banker wars and the austerity that goes with it.
I think the DEMs should not take quite so much pleasure from a potential Trump nomination. Anyone debating him, but especially I think women, will be in for a very unpleasant and ugly experience. Even Hillary Clinton’s considerable debating skills will be hard pressed to counter the sheer bullying and irrational nature of what Trump does. It isn’t that he is a good debater; he is not any kind of debater. He is out there marketing his brand. Serious thinking, serious answers — zilch. So what does anyone on the other side do? Sink to his level as Rubio has been doing. Definitely not what Hillary Clinton would do. Nor can her campaign allow Bill Clinton to respond. As for the TV/radio/social media press, all they want is the show, so it will be all about the ugliness even if there are any other moments. Then the “winner” of the debate will be declared based on what? Not substance — that I can safely bet on!
So, Norma, your sound like you have very little confidence in the American electorate, that
“the sheer bullying and irrational nature of what Trump does” will flabbergast/frustrate an intelligent and serious opponent, impress and fool the needed number of voters, and lead to his presidency. It also sounds like you don’t believe having a few (or several or many) GOP Senate/House candidates actively disassociating themselves from his candidacy will have a bad effect on his fortunes.
If that’s where you are coming from, I don’t feel the same way. IMO, you are forgetting that while Trump seems to have a solid core of supporters, it consistently polls out as about 40% or less of likely GOP voters—-not ALL likely votes. That level of support won’t win a POTUS election.
I see a Trump nomination by the GOP leading to another GOP loss for POTUS, as Trump’s bluster, bigotry, callousness and ugliness –on the campaign trail or in debates– will turn off enough voters to kill his chances.
I think that a likely Trump nomination in the days leading up to the convention could still prompt the GOP establishment to pull out all the stops, devise some strategy/plan to broker the convention, or to simply go its own way with another candidate. I also think that if the GOP doesn’t rally around Trump in a way that he likes and deems enthusiastic, he could renounce his nomination and go with a 3rd party run.
I agree with you, A.L., that Trump’s nomination will almost certainly result in an easy win for Hillary next fall and a general disaster for the GOP. But this notion that the Party will pull a rabbit out of its hat come convention time is pure fantasy as is the prospect that Trump will “go with a third party run.”
“Senate Majority Mitch McConnell told his caucus that members up for re-election should run against Trump….”.
Can you imagine the tenor and impact of the GOP Senate seat campaigning in Aug, Sept and Oct if that actually happens? Unprecedented. So many Senate seats up for election/re-election, the Senate majority up for grabs — and the GOP’s senatorial candidates out there badmouthing their POTUS nominee in their TV ads, news conferences and debates??? Wha????
In trying to come across to moderate GOP’ers (if there are any left) and unaffiliated voters as a “sane” Senate candidate, they’d also be signaling to all that the party of their choice is wholly divided, delusional and dysfunctional.
Oh my. Excuse me here….but I need a little time to compose myself ………….
There now…….. I think I’m ready for my final comment: hahhahahahahahahahahahahaha hohohohohohohohohohohoho!