Near the end it seems more become winner take all vs proportional delegate distribution.
A 33% plurality becomes good as a 70% blowout in some cases.
GOPe’s plan:
Step 1: use Palin to decapitate Cruz, so Trump becomes “inevitable”.
Step 2: keep the establishment field open until the liberal States have their primary. Divide.
Step 3: consolidate on one establishment candidate. Time to conquer.
Step 4: constantly hammer Trump until he gets none of the big all-delegate States.
Step 5: Trump’s delegate count will be lower than the establishment candidate’s.
Step 6: The establishment candidate becomes inevitable.
Step 7: Trump bows out. GOPe pays the lip service to prop Trump’s ego.
Step 8: The establishment candidate “reconciles”. Beat Hillary!
Step 9: Lose in a landslide.
I believe this is more wishful thinking...
The only reason Kasich is in there was to garner support in Ohio and then quit and pledge his delegates to Jeb.
Neither anticipated just how popular Trump would be and how is message would resonate.
Before long a lot of people will realized that Trump’s last name is not “andCruz”
Well after Iowa front loaded for Trump anyway.
They need to GIVE IT UP. It’s over. Likely Trump, possibly Cruz, but that’s it, at least for 2016.
Only problem with that theory is, Rubio and Jebbie are running #3 and #4 in their home state of Florida. That does not point to an establishment candidate winning the nomination.
It’s obvious Trump’s ahead. Look at all of the Trump attack threads on Free Republic today. Shows desperation by the Cruz supporters posting those threads. Ratio is at least 10/1 (10 attack threads on Trump for every 1 attack thread on Cruz).