If Trump does Better than McCain or Romney...

[Nyvin]

Will the Republican Party officially pivot to Trump's new populist/nativist ideology and pretty much abandon fiscal conservatism altogether?   

The idea behind this theory being that Trump's approach will be deemed the path more connected to Republican voters.

[Xing]

Congressional Republicans will try not to, and will instead whine about how literally any other Republican would have won in a landslide. Meanwhile, the Trumpsters will whine about how Trump would have won if only the Republican Party had embraced him more. Either way, it's gonna be ugly.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Will the Republican Party officially pivot to Trump's new populist/nativist ideology and pretty much abandon fiscal conservatism altogether?   

The idea behind this theory being that Trump's approach will be deemed the path more connected to Republican voters.

No.  There are very few people in power in the GOP who subscribe to his ideology.  It's dependent upon a charismatic strongman like Trump, and few politicians have the gumption to be that audacious.  Without Trump, there's no Trumpism.

The TEA Party wing will try to court the Trump voters, however.  If they are successful, it may drive some GOP members of Congress to switch parties.  I have a feeling that's going to happen anyway.

[MasterJedi]

Considering McCain or Romney would both be winning right now, God I hope not.

[Erich Maria Remarque]

Congressional Republicans will try not to, and will instead whine about how literally any other Republican would have won in a landslide. Meanwhile, the Trumpsters will whine about how Trump would have won if only the Republican Party had embraced him more. Either way, it's gonna be ugly.

The irony is that both theories are very plausible

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Probably any other Republican would wipe Clinton out, especially Kasich, Bush or Rubio. But of course the movement Trump created will claim he's a stronger candidate if he comes closer than Romney or McCain.

[Senator-elect Spark]

Will the Republican Party officially pivot to Trump's new populist/nativist ideology and pretty much abandon fiscal conservatism altogether?   

The idea behind this theory being that Trump's approach will be deemed the path more connected to Republican voters.

Possibly. The party should also try to become more socially moderate as well.

[Person Man]

Will the Republican Party officially pivot to Trump's new populist/nativist ideology and pretty much abandon fiscal conservatism altogether?  

The idea behind this theory being that Trump's approach will be deemed the path more connected to Republican voters.

Possibly. The party should also try to become more socially moderate as well.

If Trump wins, I can see this happening if a-JJ style purge of the GOPers in congress in 2018 and then Trump winning in 2020. The only "realignment" that's possible in the next few years is this.
I can easily see the Civil Rights/Immigration Reform/CJ Reform becoming the next lightning rod that replaces things such as abortion, homosexuality, and maybe even marijuana. The new Republican Party will talk about such things being a "state issues" and being "rural/urban issues".

One thing that will be interesting is how the Republican Party works with or against unions if these workers no longer have to compete with foreigners or migrants. Could the next "offshoring" be robots?


OTOH, if Ryan keeps his job and Trump doesn't get his, I don't see anything changing. I think this election will either be a 1964-style election with 2004-style margins on a 1896/1980-style election with 2000 margins.

[Kingpoleon]

I have to imagine Romney 2012+NV, OH, and IA would mean that Pence or someone who can similarly merge the party with Trumpsters is the nominee in 2020. Maybe Renee Elmers if she gets appointed to the Senate or wins her house seat back.

Besides those two, Scott Brown, Ben Carson, and Jan Brewer all might be capable of it.

[Ljube]

If Trump doesn't win, there is no other Pub that will be able to.

The Pubs will go the way of the Whigs.

[Person Man]

If Trump doesn't win, there is no other Pub that will be able to.

The Pubs will go the way of the Whigs.

The Repulican Party still has the downballot locked up even if they lose SCOTUS and the Senate. I can see a modern party being totally reorganized or  being replaced if they cant even win a single house or plurality of state power a single time in a 8 year cycle but the GOP isn't near that far gone.
Someone maybe a smidge to the center of Kasich to about where Rubio is will be the next President. Maybe Kasich/Cruz will win in 20.

[Mister Mets]

I don't think so.

The ones concerned about electability/ strategy will know that McCain and Romney ran in tougher environments, while Trump crapped away a winnable election.

[libertpaulian]

Will the Republican Party officially pivot to Trump's new populist/nativist ideology and pretty much abandon fiscal conservatism altogether?  

The idea behind this theory being that Trump's approach will be deemed the path more connected to Republican voters.

Possibly. The party should also try to become more socially moderate as well.

If Trump wins, I can see this happening if a-JJ style purge of the GOPers in congress in 2018 and then Trump winning in 2020. The only "realignment" that's possible in the next few years is this.
I can easily see the Civil Rights/Immigration Reform/CJ Reform becoming the next lightning rod that replaces things such as abortion, homosexuality, and maybe even marijuana. The new Republican Party will talk about such things being a "state issues" and being "rural/urban issues".

One thing that will be interesting is how the Republican Party works with or against unions if these workers no longer have to compete with foreigners or migrants. Could the next "offshoring" be robots?


OTOH, if Ryan keeps his job and Trump doesn't get his, I don't see anything changing. I think this election will either be a 1964-style election with 2004-style margins on a 1896/1980-style election with 2000 margins.

JJ?

[Ljube]

If Trump doesn't win, there is no other Pub that will be able to.

The Pubs will go the way of the Whigs.

The Repulican Party still has the downballot locked up even if they lose SCOTUS and the Senate. I can see a modern party being totally reorganized or  being replaced if they cant even win a single house or plurality of state power a single time in a 8 year cycle but the GOP isn't near that far gone.
Someone maybe a smidge to the center of Kasich to about where Rubio is will be the next President. Maybe Kasich/Cruz will win in 20.

That is total dishonesty. Are you going to vote for Kasich, or Cruz, or Rubio?
I believe the answer is no.

And most of the white working class will give the same answer. They would just stay home.
So the Dems would still win big, even bigger than against Trump.

[RINO Tom]

If Trump doesn't win, there is no other Pub that will be able to.

The Pubs will go the way of the Whigs.

The Repulican Party still has the downballot locked up even if they lose SCOTUS and the Senate. I can see a modern party being totally reorganized or  being replaced if they cant even win a single house or plurality of state power a single time in a 8 year cycle but the GOP isn't near that far gone.
Someone maybe a smidge to the center of Kasich to about where Rubio is will be the next President. Maybe Kasich/Cruz will win in 20.

That is total dishonesty. Are you going to vote for Kasich, or Cruz, or Rubio?
I believe the answer is no.

And most of the white working class will give the same answer. They would just stay home.
So the Dems would still win big, even bigger than against Trump.

Lol.  No.

[Leinad]

All it means is that Obama is a vastly superior candidate to Clinton, which should be painfully obvious.

[Person Man]

If Trump doesn't win, there is no other Pub that will be able to.

The Pubs will go the way of the Whigs.

The Repulican Party still has the downballot locked up even if they lose SCOTUS and the Senate. I can see a modern party being totally reorganized or  being replaced if they cant even win a single house or plurality of state power a single time in a 8 year cycle but the GOP isn't near that far gone.
Someone maybe a smidge to the center of Kasich to about where Rubio is will be the next President. Maybe Kasich/Cruz will win in 20.

That is total dishonesty. Are you going to vote for Kasich, or Cruz, or Rubio?
I believe the answer is no.

And most of the white working class will give the same answer. They would just stay home.
So the Dems would still win big, even bigger than against Trump.

Lol.  No.

His argument works if it was me talking about how useless it would be to nom a  pro-life or otherwise dead to or right of center democrat which I wouldn't vote for and he would still vote for the more conservative GOP candidate anyways . However, I am just asking him to nominate a mainstream conservative when it is likely we will be into another business cycle. The Democrats are either where they were in 2005...or even 1921 tomorrow or will be Dems were in 1989 tomorrow. These aren't bad places.

[Pericles]

Turns out doing better than McCain or Romney does include, you know, winning the election. Trump's PV % may actually be lower than Mitt's though once all the results are in.

[Person Man]

Turns out doing better than McCain or Romney does include, you know, winning the election. Trump's PV % may actually be lower than Mitt's though once all the results are in.

It is.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     That would be a mistake. Dems have lost the plot at least as much as Trump got it.