Posted on 09/19/2015 1:16:50 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Donald Trump may be a hit with the public, but Republicans appear to have little confidence.
Seemingly immune to controversies and gaffes that would have ruined less ridiculous men, Donald Trump has topped every single poll taken on the Republican Primary race since late July.
But while his controversial views on everything from immigration to trade with China have appealed to a wide swathe of Americans, it has earned him few friends within the party.
Statistics site FiveThirtyEight has analysed the endorsements given to each candidate by their fellow party members, weighting the approval of governors, senators and representatives in descending order.
Endorsements, the site says, have proven a reliable indicator in past primaries, with 'party elites' gathering around the candidate they deem most acceptable, and rank-and-file voters usually following.
Looking at this year's primary races offers some surprising insights. Despite a rather drab campaign thus far, Jeb Bush leads the Republican pack with three senators and 20 representatives endorsing him.
Far more shocking is that Trump does not rank at all. To date, he has not recieved a single endorsement for an incumbent Republican, placing him behind stragglers Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum, who have one each.
Rather more predictably, Hillary Clinton has almost total Democratic backing, with 341 (weighted) endorsements to Joe Biden's 16.
FiveThirtyEight freely admits there have been exceptions to their findings - Hillary Clinton received more endorsements in 2008 than Barack Obama - but it's concerning news for Trump nonetheless.
Of course, like Obama, he could continue to ride a wave of popular support from outside the party, but it is unlikely even a dis-united Republican Party would allow Trump to take the nod.
The 'party elites' may also feel more at ease since Trump's pledge two weeks ago not to run as an independent candidate - a move that would likely split the Republican vote and guarantee a second successive Democrat in the White House.
Will Trump trump the odds and claim the Republican nomination, endorsements be damned?
It wouldn't be the most ridiculous thing he's ever done.
The Republican-E cannot win an election without the conservative base. The Republican -E talk the talk, but it is the Conservatives who put up the signs, canvas the neighborhoods, and get out the vote.
I see a new day dawning for outsiders in 2016.
CRUZ 2016
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/20/us/new-party-rules-fail-to-speed-up-republican-race.html?_r=0
interesting article.
delegate battle, state to state.
They think We The People are stupid and peons, ya think?
I wonder what Trump’s approval rating would be in Europe given that millions of illegal immigrants are rushing the border?
I’d say the GOPe better watch what they wish for. If they are somehow successful in derailing Trump, they might end with such a pi$$ed off electorate that people just will be no shows on voting day.
Most of the elected Republicans are owned by The Cheap Labor Express.
It is not a surprise to me that Trump is not getting endorsements from amnesty pimps.
I saw an old interview with Trump earlier this morning, 1988, I think? Anyhow, Trump said something like: I get along with the Taxi drivers and the blue collar workers the best, they like me the best because he’s competing with the rich people so they don’t like him as well.
Wouldn’t that apply here? Trump isn’t following the GOP/CoC playbook and he’s not beholden to them for cash. So that means he’s competing with them, the rich, powerful and connected. The regular people like him because he isn’t beholden and IS competing. This gives some feeling of empowerment to regular citizens who have felt run-over by the powerful machine for years and years.
Few friends within the party is exactly why Trump is so popular with voters.
Most of the elected Republicans are owned by The Cheap Labor Express.
It is not a surprise to me that Trump is not getting endorsements from amnesty pimps.
^^^That^^^
They don’t want to end their Gravy Train.
The origin of this is:
The GOP is jealous that Mr. Trump is honest
unlike their lying scum selves,
AND is approachable unlike their ROYAL EXEMPT selves,
and the voters like him, unlike their thieving,
lying, treasonous, complicit-with-Moslem-treachery, selves.
Let me fix the title for you:
Lack of endorsements within Republican Party suggests Trump THE ONLY hoper
Brilliant!
“Hey Trump has the endorsement of Tom Brady, beats the heck out of say a Chris Christie or whoever”
And Azzella Banks!
OUTSTANDING!
They never thought Andy Jackson would be elected President too. In many ways Trump is alot like Jackson.
LOL, why don’t you tell us how you really feel? Endorsements mean nothing to me - it isn’t like I’m going to vote for someone because so and so endorses them. I make up my own mind.
Says more about the Republicans than it does Trump.
I’m pretty sure Trump doesn’t need any endorsements. I’m a Cruz supporter myself, but I could vote for Trump if Cruz is unable to get the nomination. And a great many people that I talk to like Trump.
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