The Republican Party is in survival mode.

[kentuck]

They are not worried about winning the White House - they are worried about surviving.

They are worried about losing the Senate and the House. That is of more concern to them than whether or not Donald Trump is threatening assassination of his opponent.

Donald Trump did not put them in this situation. They put themselves here. Indeed, they are reaping what they have sown. ( http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028086319 )

Republicans have a choice. They can continue on this road to self-annihilation or they can cut their losses and save their Party to fight another day. They are choosing suicide.

They are deathly afraid that if Republicans do not come out to vote for the top of their ticket, they will not come out to vote for the Republican losers in the House and Senate. Their fears are probably warranted.

The sad fact is that Donald Trump does not need them as much as they need Donald Trump. If the Trump supporters do not pull the Republican lever, there could be shock waves across the political world on November 8th.

This is no time for timid politicians.

[Hortensis]

1. Lol. Don't you mean they need to MOVE to survival mode?

The ship's foundering and most are clinging to supports or trapped below decks hoping it'll somehow stabilize itself before going taking them all down.

You're right, of course. Strong affirmative action is needed, but the most we've seen are a few late bailers and a too-late, extremely weak, symbolic third-party candidacy no one's talking about.

[lapfog_1]

2. Its suicide either way

If they disavow trump they lose 40 to 50 percent of their base, if they endorse trump they lose the remaining sane republicans and independents (and whatever Democrats they might attract otherwise).

It's a perfect lose - lose.

The best course is to do nothing, and laugh off anything Trump says as a "joke". Which is why you see people like Ryan doing just that.

[kentuck]

4. Ryan's comments tell me that they are going to stick with Trump...

for purely political reasons.

And they will double down with their attacks on Hillary, just to make the race as close as possible and save their hides in the House and Senate.

[uponit7771]

3. We'll know in a month, watch Ryan's numbers in Wisconsin ... the canary in the coal mine IMHO

[Gary 50]

5. The republican party is in it's death throes.

We need a New Orleans style celebration of its untimely (much too late) demise. Woo-hoo, let the music, dancing and overwhelming happiness and joy spread throughout the land!

[Stonepounder]

6. I don't want to piss in anyone's Wheaties,

but the Republican Party is having a ball in the back rooms. Sure, Trump is a national disaster. But he is firing up the base like no Republican since St. Reagan. We have the exact same scenario over and over and over again. Trump says something totally awful. The Dems go nuts, and Trump is the only thing talked about in the news for the next 3-4 days and Hillary is relegated to the back pages. Trump gets hours of exposure and Hillary gets a few minutes.

Trump keep telling his base that the media is crooked, rigged, unfair, and is totally misrepresenting what he meant. He tells his base that he is winning and he is going to make America great again, in spite of the Democrats who want to take away their guns and make them even worse off. The Democrats {gasp} want to raise taxes to give away even more of the people's hard earned money to poor, ignorant, lazy {insert favorite minority here}. And the base eats it up.

Sure, Trump will probably lose the Presidency, but his base of 35-40% of the electorate will emerge stronger than ever and Trump will be relegated to the dust-bin of history. Remember, McConnell said that his "proudest moment as a politician" was denying Obama the right to appoint a Supreme Court Justice, and 'the fans went crazy'.

[kentuck]

7. Romney won white women vote by 6%...

Trump is losing by 30%.

Yes, the Republicans will need to keep polishing that turd every day in order to be competitive. But, they are very good at turd-polishing.

[Kathy M]

23. I agree with your statement .

GOTV .......

One of the biggest reasons I do not like the news reporting polls all the time I hope people do not skip voting , or think they dont have to , or any other excuse . I am hoping for large numbers for the democrats .

In my small world of friends / acquaintances I know of a couple that complain about don and their choices etc etc , in the end though they will vote republican .......

[randr]

8. Hillary needs to take the fight right at the Republican Party

Hammer away at the problems they have caused and the fact that they selected Trump to represent them.
I should become a mark of shame to be associated with this band of fools.

[kentuck]

9. McConnell and Ryan are assuming that Trump supporters support them.

Trump supporters exist because of leaders like McConnell and Ryan and the failure of the Republican Party. They believe that if they vote for Trump, then surely, they will vote for the rest of the losers in the Republican Party?

[tinrobot]

15. Their party is split right now, we fight by driving a wedge between the two factions.

The GOP is split between pro-Trump and anti-Trump. Exploit that division.

If GOP candidates break with Trump, have someone encourage Trump supporters to stay home or vote against them.

If candidates support Trump, have someone encourage the anti-Trump Republicans to stay home or vote against them.

Either way, the GOP vote is split and Democrats are better positioned to win.

[randr]

19. I say kick them all when they are down

Let an opponent up and they are sure to kick you down.
For instance: Trevor Noah called Trump a used condom filled with Gatoraid. That is a start.

[NurseJackie]

10. I've been waiting for this my entire life ... and it's finally happening!

Whatever fractured groups that may emerge from their ashes will be much weaker.

I wonder what they'll call themselves.

[kentuck]

11. They will call themselves "Reagan Republicans"...

There just won't be as many of them...

[tinrobot]

17. They'll be called 'The Walking Dead'

[aeroman]

12. Live by the Sword (Tea party)

Die by the Sword (Tea Party)

For the GOP to survive and go forward as a legitimate Nationwide Political Party, they need to purge their Cancer. (Tea Party)

[kentuck]

13. Are Trump supporters the remnants of the Tea Party?

They don't care a lot for the Republican Party, is my impression.

[Xolodno]

14. They know this....

...and knew it since Romney. But they are victims of their own success. They gerrymandered themselves for victory in Congress, but in doing so, they also still have to pander to the racists, whackos, etc. that is in their base. Not doing so, could mean you lose your job.

So they know they have to change, but none of them has the balls to do so, hoping someone else or group of repubs take the hit.

The irony, Trump may do it for them, by taking a lot of them out with him.

[sarge43]

16. Good

They made a pact with the devil; now The Father of Lies wants his payday.

[kentuck]

18. The problem is not with Donald Trump...

... the problem is with the Republican Party. They want to use Donald Trump for cover. They are a threat to our democracy and our government. Trump is a result of their malfeasance and lack of governance.

[malaise]

20. They will soon realize that the Reagan revolution is over

dead and buried with Scalia.

Not sure they will learn

[kentuck]

21. The recognition is slow...

that the Reagan Revolution died with Scalia, their long-time, loyal political ally...

[malaise]

22. Mitch the chinless' response to Scalia's death is proof

They know it's over