Battleground State GOP Insiders to Trump: Drop Out

[B.O.L.A.]

Insiders to Trump: Drop out

'I’d rather take our chances with nearly anyone else than continue with this certain loser who will likely cost the Senate and much more,' said a New Hampshire Republican.

By Steven Shepard
08/05/16 05:18 AM EDT
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/0...#ixzz4GSM4ZcDx

Amid widespread chatter that Donald Trump could drop out of the presidential race before Election Day, Republican insiders in key battleground states have a message for The Donald: Get out.

That’s according to The POLITICO Caucus — a panel of activists, strategists and operatives in 11 swing states. The majority of GOP insiders, 70 percent, said they want Trump to drop out of the race and be replaced by another Republican candidate — with many citing Trump’s drag on Republicans in down-ballot races. But those insiders still think it’s a long-shot Trump would actually end his campaign and be replaced by another GOP candidate.

“I’d rather take our chances with nearly anyone else than continue with this certain loser who will likely cost the Senate and much more,” said a New Hampshire Republican — who, like all respondents, completed the survey anonymously.

“The effect Trump is having on down-ballot races has the potential to be devastating in November,” added a Florida Republican. “His negative image among Hispanics, women and independents is something that could be devastating to Republicans. Trump’s divisive rhetoric to the Hispanic community at large has the potential to be devastating for years to come.”

Trump has given no indication that he’s considering quitting, and his campaign insists his perseverance is one of his best attributes. But two network reports recently suggested senior GOP leaders were eyeing how that process would work, just in case.

A Trump exit from the race after he’s been formally nominated would trigger a rarely used vacancy rule in the national Republican Party’s rulebook. That rule empowers the Republican National Committee — a 168-member panel that includes three GOP leaders from every state and territory — to select a replacement. The RNC is also authorized to reconvene the national convention, which would be all but logistically impossible.



The RNC is extremely sensitive to any suggestion that it — the party establishment — is attempting to supplant the will of grass-roots Republicans, so invoking this process is already fraught with peril. But if the RNC’s 168 members convened to pick a substitute candidate, each state’s votes would be weighted based on the size of their delegation to last month’s convention.

In this scenario, Republicans would likely struggle to find a consensus nominee, but immediate options would include Sen. Ted Cruz (the runner-up in the GOP primary), Trump running mate Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Insiders suggested a handful of replacement candidates: A Florida Republican said Ryan “is the only one who can unite the party,” while multiple others plugged Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

But just because GOP insiders want Trump out of the race doesn’t mean they think he will oblige them. Asked about the possibility, a 58 percent majority think it’s certain Trump will stay in through Election Day, including many who want him out of the race. Two insiders compared the odds of Trump dropping out to them winning the Powerball drawing — two extremely unlikely events with relative equal desirability.

“I also wish I could lose 20 pounds, cut 5 shots off my handicap and play the piano,” a New Hampshire Republican added. “None of those things will happen, and neither will Trump drop out.”

“Here is the quandary I find myself in,” an Ohio Republican said. “While I would love for Trump to drop out and anyone else to take the mantle, that kind of talk will only harden his supporters. We cannot let them think we stole this from them. There has never been a better example of ‘damned if you do, damned if you don't.’”

A number of insiders cited Trump’s ego as proof he won’t slink away from the campaign before voters have their say.

“He is an egomaniac,” a Colorado Republican said. “There is no chance he would voluntarily exit the race.”

“He’s not going anywhere. His ego wouldn’t allow it,” a Virginia Republican added. “He'll dominate the news for the next three months, each day more painful than the last, finally lose, say it was rigged and get a new [television] show.”

Democrats mostly agreed Trump would see his campaign through to the end. A similar percentage, 55 percent, expressed confidence Trump would stay in the race, while 45 percent said it was possible he could drop out.

“Not for a second do I believe that to be a possibility,” said a New Hampshire Democrat. “His ego is way too big for that. It is also too big to entertain the possibility of a loss. Thus, we see this week the beginning of a very vocal narrative about the ‘rigged’ system that may cost him the election. If he loses, and I believe he will, God help us all because Trump and his minions will foment an uprising of epic proportions.”

A handful of insiders said they wanted Trump to stay in, but not because they believe in his ability to win or capability to serve as president. If Trump stays in and loses, they said, it could help the party heal itself after the election.

“Trump won the nomination,” a Michigan Republican said. “He should lose fair and square. Only then will the party base have to reckon with what they've done.” (interesting)

“I want Trump to feel the blame for this loss,” added an Iowa Republican, “not put it on the doorstep of ‘the Establishment.’”

The Iowa Republican predicted that rumors of a Trump exit are likely only to get louder: “Talk of Trump dropping out will reach a fevered pitch next week, when his poll numbers bottom out,” the Republican said. “We need to brace ourselves.”

Kyle Cheney, Kristen Hayford and Daniel Strauss contributed to this report.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/0...#ixzz4GSNPqwII

It'll never happen. He'll burn this country to the ground before he ever voluntarily steps down from a position of power.

[NoUsername4now]

Trump should take names of all these traitors and have a meeting with them after he becomes president.

[freshprinceofnz]

Trump should take names of all these traitors and have a meeting with them after he becomes president.

Night of long knives

[HoganIsGOAT]

Again, this is a liberal elite media lie that was first beta tested about a month and a half ago, and Trump told them this was a lie then.

He is NOT dropping out. This is a media distraction tool. They want to lower enthusiasm, they don't want you to vote for him. It will not work.

Again, this is another hatchet job of dishonesty by the media. He is not dropping out.

[DVANPATTEN]

It's already added to the list

[dhawkeye1980]

just proves why we need trump if both parties are scared you are doing something right

[SaviorSix]

It's already added to the list

You realize the rationalizations are just as easily inverted by the cult members

[ceizer1985]

Liberal GOP at it again.

[BusterMudd]

Again, this is a liberal elite media lie that was first beta tested about a month and a half ago, and Trump told them this was a lie then.
He is NOT dropping out. This is a media distraction tool. They want to lower enthusiasm, they don't want you to vote for him. It will not work.
Again, this is another hatchet job of dishonesty by the media. He is not dropping out.

Did you even read the article?

It doesn't say Trump Will Drop Out
It says GOP Insiders Wish Trump Would Drop Out
That's not a "lie", that's been documented numerous times from numerous sources in numerous publications.

[JimFromRaleigh1]

Gary Johnson is ahead of trump in D.C.

http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/...-columbia/#now

WOW! What a time to be alive!

[SaviorSix]

Did you even read the article?

It doesn't say Trump Will Drop Out
It says GOP Insiders Wish Trump Would Drop Out
That's not a "lie", that's been documented numerous times from numerous sources in numerous publications.

liberal elite media liberal elite media liberal elite media liberal elite media

[Forty0zFreedom]

ITT the Left suddenly cares about what establishment Republicans think.

[HoganIsGOAT]

Did you even read the article?

It doesn't say Trump Will Drop Out
It says GOP Insiders Wish Trump Would Drop Out
That's not a "lie", that's been documented numerous times from numerous sources in numerous publications.

I did read the article. I can also tell you that ABC began a lie that he was going to drop out, and others began reporting it as well. As for who wishes he would drop out, there are plenty of voters who wish Hillary would drop out. So I'm not sure how that matters. My point was clear, I'm sorry if you don't understand. May want to dilate that pupil in your avatar.

[MojoTheMonkey]

Gary Johnson is ahead of trump in D.C.

http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/...-columbia/#now

WOW! What a time to be alive!

This is a feature not a bug.

I live 10 miles away from DC and it's sharply divided between poverty stricken blacks and yuppie political whites mostly libtards with the rest being globalist cuckservative.

DC elected a mayor that got caught with a hooker in a hotel room smoking legit crack and then eight years later got reelected.

[Lord_Lemon]

Was that pie graph necessary? What is the point after stating in the article: 70% yes 30% no, that they then need to go make a big pie graph reiterating that. It just seems like it was added for dramatic visual effect which makes this whole article sound like bs.

[Fiyero]

Did you even read the article?

It doesn't say Trump Will Drop Out
It says GOP Insiders Wish Trump Would Drop Out
That's not a "lie", that's been documented numerous times from numerous sources in numerous publications.

Ignore Hogan, he's one of the biggest Trump shills here and is currently in denial mode that Trump is getting destroyed.

[BorrachoDamor]

Ignore Hogan, he's one of the biggest Trump shills here and is currently in denial mode that Trump is getting destroyed.

He's not a shill. That's the sad part lmao

[RIKTER]

DUH, of course open border globalists who support blanket amnesty and an end to American sovereignty want the only person standing in their way, to drop out. I though this was common knowledge?

[hublife]

MSM and Social Media are in full blown attack mode this week. I work on Twitter all day and the manipulation they're doing on trending topics etc... is astounding and desperate.

[jro9999]

He's not a shill. That's the sad part lmao

I dunno man

I refreshed the front page and literally 1 out of every 5 threads was created by him. Most had very few comments and were not interesting whatsoever

My guess is he gets paid in rubles to copy and paste conspiracy theories from info wars and other shill sites

[MojoTheMonkey]

It's so weird how liberals and cucks think.

They believe that they are so morally right that they can just wish things to happen and they will. The same people that laugh at religious people are super religious in their own way except they don't even have a deity to logically make this happen.

So after Trump fights tooth and nail to beat the whole Republican establishment it will now drop out because liberals want it so bad? These libtards are unbelievable.

[B.O.L.A.]

MSM and Social Media are in full blown attack mode this week. I work on Twitter all day and the manipulation they're doing on trending topics etc... is astounding and desperate.

Why is it so hard for you to believe that people want to see this egomaniac a$$hole billionaire self-destruct on the national stage? It is actually happening, it's not fake. And there is a strong demand for it to be covered and discussed. That's what happens with high negativity ratings when 2/3rds of people have been offended or threatened and the majority of people ****ing despise you. Every day Trump makes a huge gaffe or blunder or completely mind-numbingly stupid action. His campaign is in such disarray they can barely keep their **** together. The media and twitter would be HIDING this if they didn't do segments and articles on it and allow the popular conversations to the top. That is what you actually want. You want State-run media like in North Korea or Russia that only covers issues and information that is beneficial to you.

[DVANPATTEN]

You realize the rationalizations are just as easily inverted by the cult members

Come on, you can't say there is no truth behind that.

The spin after the DNC leaks, saying it was a Russian ploy to help Trump without any evidence was very obvious

The same with Joe Scarborough and the nuke thing. No US president would ever rule out using nukes, but it is spun like Trump would throw nukes around

[dabbmw2002]

This is a feature not a bug.

I live 10 miles away from DC and it's sharply divided between poverty stricken blacks and yuppie political whites mostly libtards with the rest being globalist cuckservative.

DC elected a mayor that got caught with a hooker in a hotel room smoking legit crack and then eight years later got reelected.

this, have to go at least 20 miles to find normal people.

[BusterMudd]

My point was clear

It was clear that your point had nothing to do with the OP.

[TaeBoNinja]

Why is it so hard for you to believe that people want to see this egomaniac a$$hole billionaire self-destruct on the national stage? It is actually happening, it's not fake. And there is a strong demand for it to be covered and discussed. That's what happens with high negativity ratings when 2/3rds of people have been offended or threatened and the majority of people ****ing despise you. Every day Trump makes a huge gaffe or blunder or completely mind-numbingly stupid action. His campaign is in such disarray they can barely keep their **** together. The media and twitter would be HIDING this if they didn't do segments and articles on it and allow the popular conversations to the top. That is what you actually want. You want State-run media like in North Korea or Russia that only covers issues and information that is beneficial to you.

We already have state-run media, that's the point. Repubs who think any nominee wouldn't be crucified haven't been paying attention the past 25 years. But instead of having the GOP guy's back...they instead urge on the propaganda, basically sealing their fate going forward as a 2nd tier party.

In CA we've had GOP governors and politicians. After Grey Davis was recalled, Arnold ran, and the state GOP did the same thing to him the GOPe is doing with Trump. Arnold eventually won, but the GOPe basically destroyed the state party out here,, and now CA has virtually no GOP presence anymore. This is what Repubs are doing with Trump by being spiteful and co-signing the Leftist State Media.

Being Indie I wouldn't mind if both parties went away, but I sure as hell don't one dominant party ruling all.

[Fahnestock]

You realize Politico is literally confirmed as a DNC propaganda rag right? Might as well post a direct link to CTR. Sorry lib, nobodies buying here.

[hublife]

You realize Politico is literally confirmed as a DNC propaganda rag right? Might as well post a direct link to CTR. Sorry lib, nobodies buying here.

Facts wont get in the way of OP doing his job

(Correct the Record)

[Nocturnal310]

BOLA is a hillary shill btw guys

[Stizzel]

Trump should take names of all these traitors and have a meeting with them after he becomes president.

The meeting should take place in a helicopter