For the first time in decades, the Republican National Convention might actually be worth watching, if only for the backbiting and palace intrigue that may wind up playing out on national television.
Politico spoke with several members of the Republican Politico Caucus–a panel of activists, operatives, and strategists in 10 key states–and 40 percent of them, 4 out of 10, want to see changes made to convention rules so that presumptive nominee Donald Trump can be removed from the ticket. The majority of GOP insiders, a little more than 60 percent, said they did not support a replacement effort, saying they feared attempting to overturn the will of the GOP electorate.
One Florida Republican, who, like all of the respondents, demanded anonymity, had this to say:
“Trump’s continued descent into madness is dragging the GOP down with him. A convention switch up would be great politics and save the GOP.”
And an Iowa member of the GOP commented:
“If the GOP wants to survive, it must find some way to open the rules for abstention, or some other unbinding process so that delegates can save the party from the historic defeat it faces under the banner of Donald Trump. One average teleprompter speech, given this past Tuesday, isn’t going to suddenly change Donald Trump into an aspirational, magnanimous leader. He is what he is: a bully through and through, one that takes the low road at every opportunity. Someone who doesn’t understand or care about policy. And lest we forget, a racist.”
Trump’s continued attacks on the federal judge overseeing the fraud case filed by former students of Trump University, has roiled the GOP, even leading House Speaker Paul Ryan to denounce Trump’s comments as the “textbook definition” of racism.
Another respondent to the Politico survey, this one from Colorado, told the publication:
“As a national delegate to the GOP convention I will work to push through any rule necessary to deny Trump the nomination. If he is our nominee, I believe the party will lose races all the way down the ticket. The only way to save the GOP is to have this fight at the convention.”
If indeed insiders do decide to attempt a rules change, they will be racing against the clock: the GOP convention, which will be held in Cleveland, begins July 18, giving them just six weeks to orchestrate their planned coup d’etat.
This article was originally published by the same author at LiberalAmerca.org.