Why are not the GOP candidates in from the 2016 primaries outraged?

[bresue]

I know this is an old question, and discussion, but I have to keep going back to this question: how many GOP candidates were knocked down early because of Russian trolls, bots, and/or hacking.

Why isn't Lynsey Graham, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul....and so many others screaming? We know at this point that Russia's interference affected the primaries just as it affected the final election.

Where is the outrage from the GOP? Really, think about it...why is the DNC not raising a ruckus? The primary was stolen from them...but yet they defend and align with Dump, no matter what idiotic things he says, tweets, or does.

What are they hiding...????

[marylandblue]

1. Because they want to run again on 2020

and they don't want to anger the base.

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4. Maybe....

Every time I see Marco Rubio stand with Dump....I just want to ask him where his balls are....

[RKP5637]

2. It's like a coup is taking over the US gov. Of course many of them are cut from the same piece of

cloth and tRump is thier guy, so it seems they are OK with that. In short, really really weird times in the US.

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6. Are you saying they are afraid of retaliation from their party?

I guess I am too independent in my thinking...would not make a good politician...lol!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

10. Not so much outright retaliation as

being frozen out.

If you want to understand how party politics really works, run for office. Start with being a precinct chair, and then run for the country commission, or better yet your State House. Not some non-partisan thing like city council -- and no disrespect intended to the hard working city councilors. But an office where your party affiliation really matters.

Whether your preferred political party is in the majority or minority in your state won't matter all that much. You'll start meeting the county chair, the state party chair, and all of those around him or her. You'll have to fundraise, go door-to-door asking for votes. Find volunteers to help you. You'll need someone to be your treasurer, maybe even a campaign manager, depending on your state and how intensely competitive the races are.

And win or lose, you'll have a totally different perspective on party politics.

I ran for office in 2004. I lost, but I did all of the above and learned quite a bit. Especially about how party politics works. And I wasn't even in the big leagues. I ran for the state house of representatives in a very Republican state, so the Democratic Party didn't really give a shit about my race.

This is why I get so exasperated here when people throw out comments about Republicans changing party affiliation and Dems now being in the majority in the Senate. Won't happen. It's NOTHING like changing your party affiliation so you can vote in a different primary. Also, those who live in states that don't require party affiliation really don't get it. As a voter you don't declare an affiliation, but as a candidate you sure as hell do. And that affiliation matters. If you have any notion of climbing the party ladder, you'd better go along.

And that's why upper level Republicans aren't about to rock the boat. They're just fine with Donald Trump as President, because they can do just about anything they want to do and he's not going to know what's going on. Not really.

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13. Thank you for your informative post...

And no, I could never run for office...I get stage fright and do not like being in front of a crowd.

I will though realize now, that whoever does run...needs a lot of support...which I can do.

[JI7]

5. they rely on trump supporters during a primary

[SamKnause]

7. They believe in party over country.

They are evil cowards that will do anything for their party.

They push proven failed policies and agendas to please their backers and strengthen the Republican party.

They pretend to be religious to push their Christian theocracy.

They suck up to Wall Street and corporations for donations to strengthen their party.

If not stopped, they will turn the U.S. into a Christian theocracy controlled by Wall Street and corporations.

They are EVIL !!!

[BigmanPigman]

8. That's what I have been writing to MSM about for months.

They need to show the re-runs of the debates and campaigns from when the Repubs were insulting each other. Now they are best friends putting party over country. They are truly evil.

[bresue]

9. Yes...and those were not just insults...

but evil....Cruz's father was in the killing of JFK?

[marylandblue]

12. Cruz only pretended to have a backbone

when he thought Trump would sink like a stone. Once he saw the base was lining uo behind Trump, he lined up too. In reality Cruz doesn't even care about his own family.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

11. The debates and campaigns in primary season are always like that.

Alas.

And both parties do it. And this is NOT the meme with those words that's put forth by ignoramuses who want to make Dems out to be as bad as Republicans. But during primary season candidates trash each other so as to persuade voters to pick them. And then, when all that's over and we have a candidate, everyone makes nice as if nothing bad had ever been said.

Granted, Trump was worse than anyone else, but it was one of degree, not of kind.