The Republican party has two weeks to get rid of the man they hate. Can they do it?
Mr Trump scooped seven states on Super Tuesday
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On Super Tuesday, Donald Trump took a large stride nearer towards the Republican nomination when he won seven of the eleven states where Republicans were voting. Senator Ted Cruz one three states, and Marco Rubio just one. For those within the Republican establishment who who hate and despite Mr Trump - and there are plenty - there has been the sudden realisation that the real estate mogul may be poised to seize the party’s nomination.
What is the evidence of an anti-Trump rebellion?
There has been an unprecedented move within the Republican establishment to halt Trump, that has ranged from the most-esteemed conservative magazine devoting an entire edition to him and his unsuitability to party elder Mitt Romney urging trailing candidates to drop out of the race so that people can rally around a single candidate. Senator Ben Sasse, a Republican from Nebraska, wrote an open letter to Mr Trump’s supporters explaining why he could not support the real estate mogul should he become the party’s nominee. “If Donald Trump ends up as the nominee, conservatives will need to find a third option,” he said. Senator Marco Rubio helped promote the hash tag #NeverTrump. The Republican leadership on Capitol Hill, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have voiced their concern about Mr Trump, especially after he refused to disavow a former KKK leader.
Why don’t they like Mr Trump?
Ideological Republicans do not believe Mr Trump is a genuine conservative, but more a populist showman. They say his views on such central issues as abortion, trade, healthcare and immigration are simply not in line with genuine conservative principles. Many feel Mr Trump has damaged the party’s image by his aggressive and sometimes coarse campaign language. Many in Congress fear that Mr Trump will damage their chances of reelection come November. There are also plenty of people who are concerned that Mr Trump has repeatedly criticised the Republican establishment and donors of Washington.
Why is it so hard to a viable alternative to Mr Trump?
The Republican establishment had for more than a year assumed the former Florida Jeb Bush would become the candidate. But in a political cycle when it become clear the public was angry and keen for an anti-establishment figure, he failed to gain traction, despite raising more than $150m.
After his third placed showing in Iowa, Marco Rubio became the establishment’s best chance. But then he choked during debate in New Hampshire, came in a dismal fifth. On Tuesday night, Mr Rubio scrambled to win Minnesota, his only real success on an otherwise disappointing night. He continued to claim to donors that they need to get behind his campaign, which he hoped to continue at least until March 15 when his home state of Florida votes. Ohio Governor John Kasich, who has come second in Vermont and New Hampshire, has also vowed to continue his campaign until his state votes on the same day. In the meantime, the opposition against Mr Trump remains divided.
What about Ted Cruz?
The Texas senator won three states on Tuesday - his home turf of Texas, Oklahoma and Alaska, - taking his total tally to four. The hardline, evangelical conservative has presented himself as the only person who can beat Mr Trump, and thus make it to the White House. The trouble for the Republican establishment with Mr Trump is two-fold: firstly there are concerns that his base of appeal is too narrow to win in a general election, and secondly Mr Cruz may be more hated in Washington than Mr Trump. The Tea Party favourite is famous for his attacks on the Republican leadership and those whom he accuses of “making deals” in Washington. He has presented himself as someone who would not bend - something that is usually required in the Congress’s two party system. In 2013, he famously was behind a government shutdown as he led opposition to Barack Obama’s healthcare programme.
What about a brokered convention?
Some of the remaining candidates keep talking about a brokered covention, which is held when no candidate has a majority of delegates by the time the summer gathering to formally nominate a candidate is held. In truth there has not been a brokered convention for decades, though there was almost one in 1976. In one of the other worlds of politics, the West Wing, Congressional Matt Santos was chosen to be the Democrats’ nominee after a brokered convention.
How likely is it that Mr Trump is going to be stopped?
The problem for the haters of Mr Trump is that the more they do to stop him, the more it helps him. He and his supporters like nothing more than an opportunity to claim that big Washington money is out to stop him. For those who don’t like the idea of Nominee Trump, it may be all too late.
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