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[Strife26]

The Republicans need to half heartedly support Trump. Let the guy's political career die in flames when Hilary kicks his ass, then brand Hillary Obama term 3 and restructure for 2020.

[smjjames]

The Republicans need to half heartedly support Trump. Let the guy's political career die in flames when Hilary kicks his ass, then brand Hillary Obama term 3 and restructure for 2020.

Theres no guarantee that Trump WILL lose to Clinton, yes, he isn't doing great in one vs one polling, but it's not by double digits or anything, yet. And anything could happen.

[RedKing]

I'm thinking they may not actually name an established republican to run independent, that's too blatant and would just throw even more support behind trump as they're viewed as openly manipulating the process. What I think they may do though is see who the Liberatarian or maybe the Constitution party are running, if they're not absolutely nuts, throw some resources behind them. Extra money, more time in the media, an astroturf roots campaign. Not enough to really make them win, or more notable than maybe Nader was back in the early 2000s with the Greens, but definitely a spoiler vote for the political Right.

Gary Johnson? Might be viable, except for that whole pro-marijuana thing.

The problem is that the Libertarian Party race makes the GOP race look sane. There are still 14 candidates for the Libertarians, and 3 for the Constitution Party, none of whom have any experience in politics (other than J.R. Myers, who is the head of the Alaska Constitution Party). I suppose there's always John McAfee....if he loses, he can just invite Trump to his private compound and shoot him.

In order for the GOP to draft Clinton, they'd have to effectively drink poisonous lava.

Pffft.....they'd just recycle the agitprop of the Sanders campaign that Clinton is essentially a Republican. And you'd see Hillary pivot right LIKE A BOSS. She'd start touting her Goldwater days again, and you'd never see her pose with a black person again.

[sluissa]

Yeah, I was thinking libertarians because they typically seem to be bigger and more established, but the constitution party probably has closer politics to the republicans overall.

[smjjames]

Also, apparently Trump said that he's been getting reports of complaints that he isn't on the ballot in some places, and I posted earlier about some issues at some places in Jacksonville area.

Spotted this on politicos twitter sidebar: https://twitter.com/Mdixon55/status/709773541621628928

Come on Florida, go smoothly.....

Not sure if any other states had a big of a problem as that so far this primary season with voting machines.

Not surprised Florida is having big problems....

I suppose the Bay12ers who live in Florida would be able to tell us more on that,

[RedKing]

Yeah, I was thinking libertarians because they typically seem to be bigger and more established, but the constitution party probably has closer politics to the republicans overall.

I dunno....Constitution is pretty paleo-right. And they tend to produce kooky, unqualified candidates.

[Frumple]

Not surprised Florida is having big problems....

I suppose the Bay12ers who live in Florida would be able to tell us more on that

This one wouldn't. Not only is jacksonville in the part of the state that's basically a different state from the part I live in, I tend to actively try to avoid information on FL politics. State's fucked up, the politicians are fucked up harder, trying to understand that junk will drive you crazy faster than a shoggoth blowjob. Avoid like the meth made in your neighbor's trailer.

Though you can always blame the heat or the drugs. S'actually fairly cool at the moment, but you can always blame last year's heat cooking people's brains. Or the humidity, it's definitely humid as hell right now.

[mainiac]

I'm thinking they may not actually name an established republican to run independent, that's too blatant and would just throw even more support behind trump as they're viewed as openly manipulating the process.

The entire point is to pick an established republican.  They need a sacrificial candidate for public positioning and branding.  If Mark Kirk doesn't publicly come out against Donald Trump, the GOP has no hope of keeping the Illinois senate seat.  If Rob Portman doesn't publicly come out against Donald Trump, you can say goodbye to Ohio.  And so forth, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Wisconsin.  That's just the baseline.  Imagine how much fun it would be to try and run for the open Senate seat in Florida if everyone thinks you are a Trump supporter.

So then the republican candidates are put in a position where they get a bunch of question along the lines of "how can you say you oppose Trump but you are staying neutral in this race?"  They can't go endorsing Gary Johnson or Virgil Goode because:
1) They're stuck endorsing an agenda that makes Bernie Sanders look like an establishment sellout
2) It looks like the party is falling apart if huge number of republicans are endorsing something that isn't the republican brand
3) It doesn't look like a sincere endorsement (because it isn't)

So in order to protect their brand they get someone like Mitt Romney who is:
1) A plausible candidate
2) Not going to saddle them with baggage

That way Rob Portman can endorse Mitt Romney or whoever and lessen the Trump baggage.  When reporters say "why aren't you condemning Trump" he can say "I condemn Trump for being bad and for not being conservative and that's why I endorsed Mitt Romney".

They aren't picking a candidate who they think they can win.  They're picking a candidate to make losing hurt them less in other 2016 elections.

[sluissa]

A LOT of people would view a secondary Republican run backed by establishment Republicans as flouting the popular will. The REASON Trump is getting so much support is because they dislike the establishment. If the establishment openly puts up a candidate in the general that didn't get anywhere near the popular vote in the primary (Even Cruz would be dangerous because he's still NOT the winner.) we could see serious resentment and a real party breakup.

I'm aware they're not looking for a winner, but people can still be republican and not support trump without having anyone else to strongly support. What's harder is to say, "I"m still republican, but vote for this guy who's not." or "I'm still republican but vote for this guy that people obviously thought shouldn't run for the repubicans."

On the other hand, material support in the background through donors and helpful media outlets is very easy to pull off without a ton of resentment.

[smjjames]

Romney has plenty of baggage, everything used against him from the 2012 campaign, plus, if he lost against Obama, do you really think he'd win against Clinton?

It'll be like 'Oh, the republicans can only field losers' or something like that if they use Romney IMO.

Besides, why go with Romney? Theres other republicans who are establishment and reasonably popular.

[Strife26]

Because it's a major black mark against them for whatever else the sacrificial candidate tries to do in the future.

[RedKing]

What's interesting is that a WHOLE lot of people will proclaim that they are not partisan, even if they're registered. "I vote for the person, not the party" is a very common refrain, even among loyal partisans.

But yet, it's considered heresy for an elected official to proclaim the same thing by saying "I'm a Republican, but I'm voting for XXXX instead of Trump, because I don't believe he is the best candidate."

[mainiac]

Romney has plenty of baggage, everything used against him from the 2012 campaign, plus, if he lost against Obama, do you really think he'd win against Clinton?

No,

They aren't picking a candidate who they think they can win.

Drafting a 3rd party candidate is concluding that the presidential race is a lost cause.  But with Trump as the nominee, that isn't such a radical conclusion.

A LOT of people would view a secondary Republican run backed by establishment Republicans as flouting the popular will.

Yes.  That is the price they pay when you condemn someone.  You alienate their supporters.  The question is do they feel better about alienating the 20% of the country that likes Trump or the 60% of the country that hates him?

It's not a good situation they're in.  It's a damage control measure.

[Strife26]

Draft Colin Powell for President. Betcha he could beat Hillary and Trump.

[mainiac]

Draft Colin Powell for President.

They would want someone like Colin Powell except with some actual experience running for office.