Electoral Map Is a Reality Check to Trump’s Bid

NY Times ^ | 04-02-2016 | JONATHAN MARTIN and NATE COHN

[NRx]

Donald J. Trump’s presidential candidacy has stunned the Republican Party. But if he survives a late revolt by his rivals and other leaders to become the party’s standard-bearer in the general election, the electoral map now coming into view is positively forbidding.

In recent head-to-head polls with one Democrat whom Mr. Trump may face in the fall, Hillary Clinton, he trails in every key state, including Florida and Ohio, despite her soaring unpopularity ratings with swing voters.

In Democratic-leaning states across the Rust Belt, which Mr. Trump has vowed to return to the Republican column for the first time in nearly 30 years, his deficit is even worse: Mrs. Clinton leads him by double digits in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Mr. Trump is so negatively viewed, polls suggest, that he could turn otherwise safe Republican states, usually political afterthoughts because of their strong conservative tilt, into tight contests. In Utah, his deep unpopularity with Mormon voters suggests that a state that has gone Republican every election for a half-century could wind up in play. Republicans there pointed to a much-discussed Deseret News poll last month, showing Mrs. Clinton with a narrow lead over Mr. Trump, to argue that the state would be difficult for him.

[NRx]

“We’re talking about somebody who has the passionate devotion of a minority and alternately scares, appalls, angers — or all of the above — a majority of the country,” said Henry Olsen, a conservative analyst. “This isn’t anything but a historic election defeat just waiting to happen.”

[grey_whiskers]

Yeah, and Carter was a dead cinch against Reagan, too.

[NRx]

Comparing Donald Trump to Ronald Reagan is blasphemy, or maybe just rank idiocy.

[laplata]

It’s way too early to speculate on this.

[Democrats hate too much]

soon to probably be about 1 billion in phony negative GOPe ads on Trump and he will still absolutely destroy Hillary, and it will probably be quick and the GOPe knows it... Trump 2016!

[SubMareener]

[Don Corleone]

New York Times. Need you say more?

[grey_whiskers]

#Trump2016

The power of Trump compels thee!

[Girlene]

And predictions for Cruz don’t show him doing much better. In fact polls run with Ryan or Romney don’t show them fairing well, either.

I have a hard time believing any of these polls with Hillary winning.

[manc]

Did you not post this crap earlier this week.?

[NRx]

I remember people dismissing all of the warning back in 2010 for the same reasons. “It’s the Times or WaPo. It’s a conspiracy. The polls are rigged. You will see.”

Google Christine O’Donell. Trump is the Christine O’Donell of 2016.

[Cowboy Bob]

After Trump finishes obliterating Hillary, very few Democrats will admit knowing who she is.

[NRx]

The only thing Trump might compel me to do... is vote third party.

[Blackirish]

Good thing he won’t be the nominee.

[okie01]

Yeah, and Carter was a dead cinch against Reagan, too.

Trump, however, is no Reagan.

Though I'd grant that Hillary may well be a Carter...

[Fiddlstix]

[NRx]

Nope. Hard to do that when it just came out today.

[PapaBear3625]

“This isn’t anything but a historic election defeat just waiting to happen.”

And yet, if the Democrats really thought this, the media would be CELEBRATING Trump's campaign, and WANTING him to get the nomination.

[datura]

Yeah, it’s a good thing Cruz won’t.

Oh wait, I remember now, it’s the GOPe that you want as the nominee.