As Donald Trump swept Super Tuesday states, the GOP broke into utter chaos. While more and more Republicans have publicly acknowledged that their party is in free-fall, some “opportunistic politicians – like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Maine Gov. Paul LePage – see the writing on the wall,” endorsing Trump and the outrageous rhetoric and policies he supports.
But the facts remain: Trump is now the presumed nominee and as The New York Times pointed out this morning, “Republicans are falling apart.”
Just look at what Republicans have said about a Trump nomination:
Senator Lindsey Graham: “Ted Cruz is not my favorite by any means,” Graham said in a CBS interview. “But we may be in a position where we have to rally around Ted Cruz as the only way to stop Donald Trump.”
[…]
“Senator, you seem to be saying that Hillary Clinton will beat Donald Trump,” said CBS host Charlie Rose.
“No, I’m not [seeming] to say that. I am saying that,” Graham said with a weak laugh. “Like a drum.”
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL): “No one is going to call for us to get behind [Trump]… They know that the nomination of Donald Trump means the end of the modern conservative movement and the modern Republican Party in a very devastating way.”
Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE): “I sincerely hope we select one of the other G.O.P. candidates. But if Donald Trump ends up as the nominee, conservatives will need to find a third option.”
Bruce Haynes, GOP operative: “People don’t know what to do. They call me in tears and say, ‘I can’t vote for him because he’s a liar, a cheat and a racist and yet everything I’ve ever cared for in politics is on the line and could be lost if I don’t vote for him.’”
Just check out some of the headlines:
Politico: The day the Republican Party ruptured
Vox: The Republican Party is truly, profoundly broken
Politico: Trump’s Super Tuesday win sets off GOP alarm bells
New York Times: As Donald Trump Rolls Up Victories, the G.O.P. Split Widens to a Chasm
MSNBC: GOP nears its breaking point as Donald Trump rolls towards nomination
Washington Post Blog: Morning Plum: As Donald Trump steamrolls, Republicans pass from denial to acceptance
CNN: GOP reaches a crossroads
The Washington Post: After Super Tuesday, the Republican Party is figuring out how to grieve
The Denver Post: Donald Trump’s victories point to a GOP crisis
Jewish Journal: Why the Republican Party is dying
New York Times: Donald Trump Overwhelms G.O.P. Rivals From Alabama to Massachusetts
The Washington Post: The Republican Party’s plan to stop Trump? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
New York Times: Editorial: The Party of Trump, and the Path Forward for Democrats
Mother Jones: Can the GOP Survive Donald Trump?
Fox News: Opinion: Trump is now unstoppable. It’s game over for Cruz, Rubio, Kasich and Carson