Posted on 01/30/2016 12:38:57 PM PST by BlackFemaleArmyColonel
While there has been a lot of hand-wringing among conservatives about the damage they fear Donald J. Trump is doing to their brand, one centrist leader among congressional Republicans sees a potential silver lining for Mr. Trump: electability.
"The Republicans' presidential nominee must build a winning coalition that extends beyond the Republican base," said Representative Charlie Dent, Republican of Pennsylvania. "Running a campaign and expanding the coalition is an exercise in addition, not subtraction."
Senator Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican who has been chasing Mr. Trump in the polls in early primary states, is popular among religious conservatives and hard-right Republican voters. But Mr. Trump's unusual bloc, such that it is, pulls in registered Democrats and other nontraditional Republican primary voters. Indeed, some polling has shown overlap in views among those who favor Mr. Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
"Ted Cruz is a rigid ideologue," said Mr. Dent, who is not supporting Trump and has yet to endorse anyone. "Donald Trump is ideologically scattered and malleable. In my view, a more rigid ideology would have a much harder time assembling a winning general election coalition than the less doctrinaire candidate."
In some ways, Mr. Dent's views reflect a widespread antipathy toward Mr. Cruz among his Republican colleagues in Congress, one he has worn as an anti-Washington badge of honor, insider though he may well be.
But Mr. Dent, who wants to see his party appeal to independents, has the same fears that have been plaguing the party generally for years, and ones that Mr. Trump's anti-Muslim views may not quell.
"Some Republican presidential candidates are in demographic denial," he said. "Winning a larger percentage of the conservative white vote in 2016 is neither a viable nor realistic general election strategy."
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The difference between Obama and Trump is Trump is smart. Obama just think he is. Ted Cruz has zero personality......I mean I can’t even see shaking his hand much less having a beer....I know that isn’t everything, but I do think that you want to like your President. There is NOTHING likable about Cruz. He reminds me of Vice President Cheney........somebody NOBODY wanted to know.
Is the New York Times trying to come out to terms with a Trump Presidency?
Sponsoring FReepers are contributing
$10 Each time a New Monthly Donor signs up!
Get more bang for your FR buck!
Click Here To Sign Up Now!
“So are you supporting Cruz now? Because this article makes it abundantly clear why Trump is a threat to the conservative movement and just another establishment, crony capitalist operative.”
I’ve noticed the really gong-ho Trump supporters here are not always the sharpest knives in the drawer.
That’s what the “Trumpettes” seem to wish for!
That’s the thing that is killing Jeb Bush, who is not an evil person but is continuing the Bush tradition of “flexibility.”
I guess the GOP and Dems have decided that Trump is the heir of Bush, since Trump has so few clearly articulated strategies and nothing but a few blustery talking points that he’ll be more than happy to abandon and blame the Dems for somehow making him go along with their program. Or maybe they’ll even have to “be mean” to him...Baby Donnie can’t stand that!
She reads headlines....and sometimes can’t even figure those out.
Kerry, Edwards and Bill Clinton all had “style” appreciated by “progressives.”
Liberals always choose “style” over Substance.
Enjoy chasing style and rejecting substance. In the end, you’ll have neither even if you win.
Ryan and McConnell are bendy. Ooo! Know who's super bendy and flexible? jeb! jeb will accomplish lot's of things with the dimocrates, none of them which results in smaller government, lower taxes, stronger defense, or a reclamation of our liberty, but hey, "doing something" is more important than standing for what is right.
“So are you supporting Cruz now?”
We had to. We all got shaming letters with a threat to follow up. :-)
If Trump was mallable he would have went to the last debate.
Trump won the last debate.
Ha. I had a sobering thought this morning. Let’s say Trump and his supporters are correct and the race is already over and he becomes the nominee. Combine that with the likelihood of Hillary representing the democrats (maybe I’m cynical but I have a hard time seeing her held accountable for anything )and the news that Bloomberg might get in as a third party candidate. The thought that the US could choose between three New Yorkers who either do or have held among the most liberal positions one can on almost every issue is disturbing to me, on the heels of 8 destructive Obama years as well. We need an alternative big time.
“Ideologically scattered” is exactly what I am looking for. Lol.
I don’t want to have a beer with the next president, I don’t care if I can shake his hand. I do care that Trump has already been saying he will make deals with liberals. There has been enough of that done in the past several years.
For an example of him being maleable:
With an open mind read This:
http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/donald-trump-persuaded-by-laredo-mayor-to-temper-b/nn5DC/
THen watch this:
http://www.c-span.org/video/?327294-3/donald-trump-news-conference-laredo-texas
Question: Are you still in favor of a wall?
Donald J. Trump
Yes, in certain sections, you have to have a wall, absolutely
We have had the boring candidates and it did not work. Dole, McCain, Romney.........boring. They had theirs too Mondale, Dole and they lost. Get the picture?
Hmmm, with that statement, the guy just said that Trump was a better candidate, than Cruz, because Trump has no ethics/morals and will follow where the money is. WOW, talk about a backhanded compliment to say they believe Trump will be the same as the old crap guard already running Washington. If true, thanks, but NO thanks.
Get the picture?
Need a clue?
Cruz has substance. Trump is like a game show host. Get the picture?
Hmmm, with that statement, the guy just said that Trump was a better candidate, than Cruz, because Trump has no ethics/morals and will follow where the money is.
In a “New York Minute!”
You poor delusional Cruz Lover. I feel so sorry for you freaks.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.