I don't think Trump will be their guy I think it will be Romney.

[redstatebluegirl]

They have spent the last 20 plus years cultivating the white male racist nationalist to get what they want, and if that guy doesn't show up they could have issues but... If Romney is the candidate the moderates and the regular Republicans will show up. With that in mind, we have a party that has a large number of members who say they won't vote for Hillary. The Repubs will say that if people don't vote for Romney Hillary will appoint a supreme court that will vote to take away their precious "penis extenders" AR15's.

We could lose folks.

[onehandle]

1. If Trump is not the nominee, Cleveland will be burned to the ground.

So no, it will not be Mittens.

[redstatebluegirl]

2. I really really really hope you are right.

[hollysmom]

8. those wusses won't do it.

seriously they will be pissed but add a new terrorist fear and they will vote the party line.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. They can't get rid of Trump at this point.

He won most of the primaries and has a clear majority of delegates, so if they try to play games with the convention rules and dump him for somebody else there will be hell to pay - Trump's goons will crash the convention and they probably will have guns. They'll riot and it will be way uglier than Chicago '68. In the meantime Trump will sue the GOP (he sues everybody), and could quite possibly get an injunction preventing them from selecting another nominee. Trump is like herpes; itches like hell and doesn't go away.

[Else You Are Mad]

4. If they usurp Trump...

All the better for us. If anyone is nominated that isn't Trump, it would shatter the GOP and would probably result in the far right/tea party fringe of the party forming their own party. Thereby splitting the vote in subsequent elections and almost ensuring Democrats winning in record landslides.

That said, Romney was a weak candidate in 2012, and he is even weaker in 2016. There is a very prominent anti-establishment fervor this year. And he embodies the establishment more than any other candidate.

So, I say: Go Romney!

[TwilightZone]

5. I could be wrong, but I think they're stuck with him.

I don't see Romney as much of a threat either, frankly. Sure, 2012 was close, but if he comes in now, he looks like candidate #18 after the clown car that was the primary season. He still has 47% hanging over his head, too. More motivation for our side.

"With that in mind, we have a party that has a large number of members who say they won't vote for Hillary."

Two points:

1) The number of Dems who won't vote for Clinton is already lower than many believe and will get lower in the coming months. In the end, I think 90% of them vote for Clinton.

2) Saying (four months before the election) and doing are two different things.

[cbdo2007]

6. I think you are right. Romney is super mainstream and is probably the only person

would have any chance of beating Hilary

[herding cats]

7. Here's the fix they're in.

There's some speculation that falling Trump poll numbers could help the GOP replace him at the convention with a more viable candidate.

The problem with that is both he, and a majority of his supporters will blame the falling numbers on a lack of support from the RNC, and attacks by other GOP party elite. Which will lead to chaos and possibly worse turnout in November. Which would create down ticket wins for Democrats.

As far as I can tell the GOP are stuck between a racist loudmouthed rock, and an establishment hard place.

[FLPanhandle]

9. Romney as the "appointed" nominee would lose like Mondale in 88

The GOP might do better in downstream races but the GOP has already written off this election

[spud_demon]

16. Agree. They have nothing to gain by cheating Trump out of his shot.

Many of them are distancing themselves from him, so after the loss they can say "Don't blame me."

[Iliyah]

10. Bite you tongue, I'l say Paul a-hole Ryan

[alcibiades_mystery]

18. Ryan's not going to give up a legitimate shot on 2020 to lose now

It's in his interest to let this play out, then come back in 4 and say "Are you ready for a rational choice now?"

[n2doc]

11. Unless they get Trump to concede gracefully that will lead to a civil war between Repubs

Not that I would not like to see that, but Trump's followers are insane enough to follow him out of the party and blow it all up. And he is insane enough to egg them on.

Now, maybe the rumors that Trump will quit for $150 million are correct, and that is the route they will take.

[TipTok]

12. Romney would lose big and he knows it...

A last minute switch would be death on a stick.

An immature support organization would be top of the list... followed by the folks who actually voted for Trump.

No way...

Republicans have chalked this one up as a loss and are focusing on the state and locals.

[melman]

13. Romney is a proven loser

Not gonna happen.

[Straw Man]

14. I think ...

... that people who say "Romney is a loser" are missing the point. The Republicans may have already decided that Trump is a loser and is spoiling their down-ticket races in a way that Romney wouldn't. If the moderates stay home, the Republicans will not only fail to gain the Presidency -- they may lose Congressional seats.

[Initech]

15. That's exactly what Alex Jones and his batshit crazy Infowars followers want.

They literally think that every time a mass shooting happens that it's a false flag operation designed by the government in a concentrated effort to confiscate their precious penis extending AR-15s and AK-47s. They said it about Sandy Hook, Aurora, Vegas, and now they're saying it about Orlando. They want a civil war. They dream of it in their sick, twisted fantasy world. And Donald Trump is their man. The hardcore racists and batshit crazy Infowars subscribers are quite literally salivating over the thought of a Donald Trump presidency. Their fantasy depends on it. That's what scares me the most about Alex Jones. He's a dangerous cult leader, and his followers worship the almighty gun. If the GOP goes behind their back, they're fucked.

[spanone]

17. the republican party is right where it should be. they deserve it.