Trump Debate Flap Throws Republican Party Into Deeper Chaos

[applegrove]

Trump Debate Flap Throws Republican Party Into Deeper Chaos

by James Oliphant at the Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-fox-news-debate-gop-chaos_us_56ab85b7e4b077d4fe8db8e0

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Trump's candidacy threatens to scramble the Republican coalition built since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, one that worked to unite evangelical Christians and other social conservatives, economic conservatives, and military hawks behind a standard-bearer.

The New York real estate tycoon and former reality TV star does not check many of those boxes. He shocked evangelicals here when he told them he has never asked God for forgiveness and spends little time on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. He has threatened to slap tariffs on imported goods to protect American jobs and raise taxes on hedge-fund managers. He has decried the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has sounded reluctant to deeply involve U.S. forces in the conflict in Syria.

"He is attracting people of all kinds of backgrounds who have never thought of themselves asRepublicans," Gingrich said. "I think it's very hard for traditional political observers to understand (what's happening)."

Early during Thursday's debate in Des Moines, it seemed that the seven Republicans on the stage worked collectively to try and wean voters in Iowa and elsewhere off of Trump, with some dismissing him as an entertainer and others blasting his policy stances. His absence loomed over the entire event.


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