Who is going to be the Republican nominee...

[Txbluedog]

Say, you, like me are now convinced that Donald J. Trump will not be the republican on the ballot in November, who do you think would replace him? Ryan? Romney? Someone else?

[Schema Thing]

1. Ryan would be my guess.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. I think it will be Trump because they don't dare get rid of him.

If they did a thing at the convention like the Dems did in '68 (nominate somebody who had never run in any primary), all hell would break loose, way worse than '68, because Trump's supporters are violent assholes who would totally riot. Say the GOPers did decide to take that risk and dump Trump, and managed to talk somebody else into taking the job, that person would lose the GE spectacularly because Trump is so popular with the GOP's racist, xenophobic base that he'd either run on a third party ticket or urge them to write him in. The substitute candidate's political career would be ruined. I can't imagine anyone wanting anything to do with that scenario.

[Tobin S.]

4. Yeah, he'd run as an Independent and split the conservative vote.

They aren't going to risk that. As much as the Republican establishment dislikes Trump, I think they hate Hillary even more.

[Lord Magus]

12. They wouldn't just riot, they'd riot with guns.

That's the kind of people who join the Trump cult.

[SheilaT]

15. Keep in mind that in 1968 something like 14 states had primaries.

It was only after that election cycle that we started getting a caucus or primary in every state. Meanwhile, the state party in each state controlled the delegates, and at the time of RFK's assassination, Humphrey had the majority of delegates.

[Tal Vez]

3. They will ave to find someone who is willing to run. Who knows?

[swhisper1]

7. so far the RNC has met with Romney. It will have to be someone well known, tiime is short

[CanonRay]

5. Mitt 2016!

[SFnomad]

6. If it's not tRump, tRump will run 3rd party because he will feel that the Republicans didn't respect

him ... and then they will be crushed in November. They very well may be crushed in November anyway .. but to replace tRump with someone else will make the crushage epic.

[swhisper1]

9. I'm not sure he can. would e have to register in 50 states as an indy? Or the Trump party

[SFnomad]

10. If he gets another 3rd party that already exists and has ballot access ... he could do it.

If he tries to do it as an Indy, he'll run up against "sore loser" laws in about a dozen (or maybe it's more) states that would not allow him on the ballot. As long as he ends up on the ballot on battleground states ... the crushage would be epic.

[swhisper1]

11. who would have him? thanx for clarifying

[Lord Magus]

14. The Constitution Party are vile racist wingnuts. A good fit for tRump.

Especially if he gave them a hefty "donation" in exchange for the nomination.

[Lord Magus]

13. He might buy the nomination of the ironically named Constitution Party.

They don't have access in all 50 states but he wouldn't need 50-state access if his agenda is revenge against the RNC rather than actually winning.

[Agnosticsherbet]

8. So, say the Republicans change the rules and shitcans their entire election and the winner

and appoints someone? It won't matter.
After the riots, any nominee would be lucky to if he could be elected as dog catcher in a town where he was the only voter.
Ryan won't take it. He is too smart to be a sacrificial lamb on the altar of the RNC. I know it's popular to call him dumb here, but he isn't. He already said no to the #StopTrump movement. He will not accept the nomination.
Romney would like it, but he could not win in 2012, and he will do worse in 2016. A member of the Republican elite could not win the nomination, and he won't win the general election.

Should such a ridiculous thing happen, I think it would be Romney. No one else would go near it that has even the slightest hope of a career in Republican politics.

[glennward]

16. Romney/Niki Haley

My thoughts/

[TSIAS]

17. Trump

I think many establishment Republicans are comfortable with Clinton's hawkish foreign policy. If Trump isn't the nominee, his supporters will be so upset that it would be hard for Romney or Ryan or anyone to win.

I think the GOP essentially let Trump fully own this loss and move on quickly to 2020.

[Contrary1]

18. Trump will drop out...

Jeb or Ted.