Thread: Why Aren't People Declaring The GOP Race Over — And Trump The Winner?

Why Aren't People Declaring The GOP Race Over — And Trump The Winner?

Updated February 23, 20168:56 AM ET Published February 23, 20166:00 AM ET

Mara Liasson

In any ordinary year, Donald Trump's big win in South Carolina on Saturday night would all but anoint him the Republican presidential nominee. That's especially true after his big win in New Hampshire, where he won with support across various age and income groups in the party.

Trump should be a shoo-in. But this is no ordinary year, and Trump is no ordinary candidate. So why aren't more people talking about the race being over?

Here are four thoughts on that and the Trump juggernaut more broadly:

1. Donald Trump is the clear front-runner but not the inevitable nominee — yet.

In a normal election year we'd say someone who won the New Hampshire primaries by a yuuuuge margin and the South Carolina primary by 10 points is the prohibitive front-runner. No Republican candidate has won both those primaries and not gone on to become the nominee. That being said, this is not a typical election year, and there are many Republicans who think either — a.) it's just not possible for Trump to be the nominee, or b.) it would be a calamity for the party's brand and down-ballot prospects if he became the nominee.

2. The GOP establishment doesn't seem to have a game plan to take on Trump.

The GOP establishment has taken Trump on in fits and starts. Jeb Bush fell on his sword trying to undermine Trump. Trump and Ted Cruz have been battling for similar slices of the vote in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina with Cruz making ideological attacks — accusing Trump of not being a "real conservative." That hasn't worked. Now a variety of superPACs are trying, with one pro-Rubio superPAC airing a new attack ad that takes aim at Trump's temperament, calling him erratic. Polls show Trump's biggest weakness is his temperament, but so far nothing the other candidates have said or done has dented his lead.

3. Now that Bush is out, which candidate will fight Trump?

One of the biggest mysteries of the race is why Marco Rubio hasn't taken on Trump. So far, Rubio has avoided the kind of frontal attack on Trump that backfired on Bush. Rubio has been busy fighting with Cruz and has yet to repeat Bush's criticism that Trump is intolerant and divisive. The longer this race goes on with more than two candidates in it, the better it is for Trump. Some polls show that either Cruz or Rubio could beat Trump if it were a two-man race, but neither Rubio nor Cruz has an incentive to drop out anytime soon. And those head-to-heads can and will change as more people quit.

4. Trump's argument

Trump argues that as those candidates drop out, he'll inherit some of their support as well. And he suggests that the GOP establishment should quit carping about him. After all, he is bringing new voters into the party, particularly non-college-educated white men. Republicans have had record-breaking turnouts in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, and Trump can certainly take some credit for that.

Despite Trump's terrible approval ratings with minorities, Trump's appeal to blue-collar voters could theoretically put states in play such as Pennsylvania and Michigan, and maybe improve the GOP's chances in Ohio.

But he hasn't convinced the Republican establishment of that yet.

http://www.npr.org/2016/02/23/467734...ump-the-winner

Trump will get lots and lots of Bernie voters.as the Hillybeast seizes control on the liberal side. We have something close to a third party getting ready to win!

Originally Posted by Captainron

Trump will get lots and lots of Bernie voters.as the Hillybeast seizes control on the liberal side. We have something close to a third party getting ready to win!

Do we really want folks that would vote Bernie Sanders? Personally, that is not something I would relish or want. I would want nothing to do with a party that welcome someone that would support Bernie Sanders into the fold. I actually know some people that support Bernie and they are so far from my position on issues, including immigration, that they scare me.

I've never been one of those people that feel the end justifies the means. In other words, I'm fine with Trump winning, however, I don't want to sacrifice my soul for such a win.

I want every voter who is for Trump to vote for Trump. When Bernie is out, I hope all the Bernie supporters who don't like Hillary vote for Donald Trump. They all want to stop this free trade disaster which Trump will do. They all want good jobs which Trump knows how to create. They all want good security and an end to ISIS. They all want some tax reform. Many also support stopping illegal immigration and reducing legal immigration. Those who don't will learn why they should, and then they will.

Trump is a Movement.

Originally Posted by Judy

I want every voter who is for Trump to vote for Trump. When Bernie is out, I hope all the Bernie supporters who don't like Hillary vote for Donald Trump. They all want to stop this free trade disaster which Trump will do. They all want good jobs which Trump knows how to create. They all want good security and an end to ISIS. They all want some tax reform. Many also support stopping illegal immigration and reducing legal immigration. Those who don't will learn why they should, and then they will.

Trump is a Movement.

The Bernie supporters I personally know are adamant in their support of illegal immigrant amnesty and open borders! The won't be turned under no circumstances (I've tried). I suspect that is the case with the large majority of them. However, they do strongly support a free college education for everyone, a minimum wage increase of $15.00 an hour, nationalized health care, an increase in food stamps and other federal assistance programs, strong restrictions on gun ownership, partial-birth abortions, etc., etc., etc.

Thank you, but no thank you. This is all a moot argument anyway because I seriously doubt any Bernie Sanders supporters are going to hop on the Republican band-wagon. Nope, they'll just slide over to Hillary because she's offering them more than any Republican candidate ever would or could.