Posted on 07/08/2015 8:07:12 AM PDT by entropy12
Donald Trump's 2016 presidential run seems custom-made for a third party. The billionaire developer has never held political office, never run as a Republican or Democrat. He doesn't need a party's money-raising apparatus. His anti-politician appeal "Politicians are never going to bring us to the promised land" cuts equally against Republicans and Democrats. And as far as Republicans are concerned, Trump appears to connect with GOP voters who are so disgusted with the party's current Washington leadership that they would be open to a third-party campaign.
But in an interview Tuesday, Trump said he has no interest in running as a third-party candidate, at least for the moment. "I've had many, many people ask me about running as an independent," Trump told me in a telephone conversation. "My sole focus is to run as a Republican. I'm a conservative Republican."
"My sole focus is to run as a Republican," Trump repeated, "because of the fact that I believe that is the best way we can defeat the Democrats."
When I asked Trump to elaborate on why he would stay in the GOP, Trump cited his rising position in the polls, the big crowds he attracts, and his profile in the race. "We've hit a nerve," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
More from the article:
“I believe I’m the only one who can beat Hillary Clinton,” Trump explained. “Having a two-party race gives us a much better chance of beating Hillary and bringing our country back than having a third-party candidate.”
At that point, I asked Trump about Ross Perot’s third-party run in 1992, in which Perot won 19 percent of the popular vote. Did Trump believe Perot was a spoiler in that election?
“Totally,” Trump said. “I think every single vote that went to Ross Perot came from [George H.W.] Bush Virtually every one of his 19 percentage points came from the Republicans. If Ross Perot didn’t run, you have never heard of Bill Clinton.”
I hope he does not go the third party route. I hope he keeps on hammering on this duplicitous liberal debacle and the penchant they have for protecting illegal invaders.
I further hope that his diligence forces Jebito farther towards showing what a traitor he is with respect to wanting illegals to get citizenship. Anything that forces him to voice his support for pathways or any of this double-speak is a good thing.
Exactly right. If Trump goes third party, the Hag will win.
It’s a direct threat to the RNC and GOP-e to back off. That’s why Bush has gone silent on Trump since Monday.
Trump is probably #1 in the polls right now or very close to it.
If the GOP effectively kicks him out, boots him from the party (and exhortations from party members to exclude Trump from the debates run along that line), then Trump’s choices are to abandon his run, or to continue but outside of the party that rejected him.
POS is a friend of Bill and Hill and an all around trouble maker.
The next election concievably could be a 4 way race. Establishment repub and dim as well as Trump and sanders as independents.
That’s probably the plan, I think it’s the only way she can win. I wouldn’t trust Trump one little bit. I like what he says from time to time but I think that he really can’t be trusted.
It will be very hard for Reince Priebus and the GOP-e to exclude Trump from the Fox News debate if Trump is #1 in the polls (which he probably is after the past week).
Ahh...the Mole doesn’t like Trump....what a surprise
Meaningless post. Trump is a friend of EVERY POLITICIAN in every state where he has business. I guess you have never been a muti-Billion businessman.
It’ doesn't make sense...unless you allow that it would be an ABSOLUTE godsend to Liberals and that THEY would themselves push ‘Republicans’ in that direction.
I say ‘Republicans’ as distinct from Conservatives.
Anyway, no matter what else happens, (and I've said this previously) THIS election will ALSO be a referendum for scrapping the GOP.
The GOP over the past decades has become an increasingly insular and out-of-touch organization which both IS and is SEEN TO BE antagonistic to true Republicans (if any remain) and true Conservatives (whose numbers are routinely deflated by the MSM).
“If Trump goes third party, the Hag will win.”
I’m not so sure of that... I think the low information voters of both parties like Trump.
Think rationally. Give up NBC, UNIVISIONS, MACY’s, Serta, NASCAR, PGA, LPGA, ESPN, all to be friends with Hillary? Hahahaha..such illogical thinking! What does Trump gain from Hillary’s friendship? More Billions? For crying out loud he is already closing in on 70 years age. He has enough money to give $10 Million to next 90 generations of Trumps!
I’ve already changed my party affiliation to Independent. If the GOP puts up a Jeb Bush, I will either vote 3rd or will not vote. Over the falls we go.
Not this time.
In a three way race, Trump wins, Yeb Bush comes in third and the GOP goes on the ash heap of history because they were unable/unwilling to represent the citizens.
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