Posted on 01/17/2016 3:30:01 PM PST by cotton1706
HOLLIS, N.H. - After months of predicting a comeback for their preferred candidates, Republican establishment leaders now concede the first two contests of the presidential race, in Iowa and New Hampshire early next month, are Donald Trump's and Ted Cruz's to lose.
That leaves many GOP traditionalists, who fear each candidate would be a disaster in the November general election, pinning their White House hopes on a feat no Republican has pulled off in modern political history: securing the nomination without winning at least one of the first two states on the calendar.
It's a risky strategy at best, and party officials are hoping that weaker candidates will drop out before the South Carolina primary that follows New Hampshire, allowing voters to more easily coalesce behind an alternative to the billionaire real estate mogul and the Texas senator.
"I don't know how they can convince themselves that they'll be able to go into South Carolina and get something going, having come in a distant third, fourth, fifth place in Iowa and New Hampshire," said Mike Dennehy, a New Hampshire Republican operative. "Especially when you will have two candidates who have been very strong."
(Excerpt) Read more at pbs.org ...
Last week we saw SC governor Haley mouth the Establishment talking points, and go after Rubio. And we saw Lindsey Graham endorse Bush.
They're grasping at straws!
Have no fear, GOPe! You’ve got your loyalty oath secure in Virginia!
What is the difference between a RINO GOPe, a democRAT and a Socialist?....Bueler?
Well, what group are they talking to?
LOL
from his lips to God’s ears.
the *only* thing that matters is beating the uniparty gopes and dems. period.
A Republican, a DemocRAT, and a Socialist walk into a bar. The Socialist pulls out a gun and declares “This is a stick-up! I pronounce this capitalist establishment defunct in the name of the proletariat!” He then demands all of the money from the cash register, and while the bar owner is handing it over, the Socialist tosses the keys to the getaway car to the DemocRAT, who runs outside.
After he’s got the money, the Republican holds the door open for the Socialist. The store owner yells at the Republican “I voted for you! Why are you letting this happen?” The Republican replies, “I personally abhor these actions, but in light of current realities, one must be flexible and always make judgements by the lesser of two evils.”
The DemocRAT yells from the car, “Let’s go!” “Yes, sir!” replies the Republican, and jumps in the getaway car.
I am buying less and less, the argument that Cruz is anywhere near Trump’s league. Ted wasn’t even born in the United States.
Well the GOPes are exclusively followers.
it has never made any sense to me why so much stock is placed in the carcasses of Iowa or the primaries of New Hampshire, South Carolina and all the other states that hold their primaries early. What difference does it make? and who cares?so what if you can’t convince a certain segment of hay seeds in a certain low electoral values state that you are the best candidate. this is why I think Trump is going to win. He has broad appeal to a great mass of the electorate. what really bothers me is the electoral college thing, if Democrat Party corruption comes into full play they will try and gain that one in order to steal the election from the popular vote. And if that happens I hope our military seizes power and outlaws the Democrat Party altogether. I would support such a coup tooth and nail......
GOPe concedes anything and everything, except conservatism. That’s why so many are done with the GOP.
Either the GOP gets serious about conservatism or there will be a new party.
Been a loyal pubbie for 41 years.
This GOP establishment can kiss my ass.
Bunch of go along get along maggots cause they all be making money in D.C.
Well Mc Cain, Graham, Dole, Bush (all of em) etc can kiss my ass.
Go Cruz, go Trump, anyone who isn’t a worm for the establishment, hear me Marco ya liar?
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