North Texas Daily

Harrison Long | Opinion Editor

@HarrisonGLong

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton both won big on Super Tuesday, and the prospect of a total-war, scorched-Earth style campaign season for the general election seems nearly unavoidable at this point.

Trump won seven states across the nation, touting once again his anti-establishment positions, which continue to pick up steam. Looking in the rearview mirror, the GOP now seems to be biting its nails and sweating elephant-sized bullets, longing to correct their misallocation of time and resources over the last nine months.

Had less money been spent on stopping Hillary Clinton, now favored to win the Democratic nomination, and less time by the candidates laughing at the prospect of Trump while ribbing each other, the idea of a quasi-fascist taking office wouldn’t seem so frighteningly possible.

Now, instead of taking the last chunk of time in primary season stuffing their war chest against the Democratic Party, the Republican leadership is forced to make last-ditch efforts in an attempt to salvage not only their chances of having one of their own in the White House, but the legacy of their party altogether. It is difficult to gauge now because of the unpredictable nature of the coming election, but it is valid to question whether the current GOP would be able to survive a Donald Trump presidency.

Paul Ryan, the current Speaker of the House of Representatives, is among the republicans actively condemning Donald Trump, recalling the candidates alarming inability to denounce former grand wizard of the KKK, David Duke.

“If a person wants to be the nominee of the Republican Party, there can be no evasion and no games,” Ryan told reporters on Capitol Hill after Duke announced his support for Trump.

“They must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry. This party does not prey on people’s prejudices.”

This, accompanied with recent criticisms made by Mitt Romney, is significant. As the previous Republican ticket for the White House, the direct opposition of these two influential men toward a Trump candidacy speaks volumes about the current state of affairs within the party. It clearly illustrates the desire of the party leadership to eliminate Trump from the equation, and that there are likely more tricks up their sleeves to be deployed in the coming weeks.

Just like former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura and former Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg announcing the possibility of their bids on the Democratic ticket for the White House, don’t be surprised to see another republican throw his or her hat in the ring at the last minute.

It is abundantly clear as time is rapidly running out: the GOP would have done well to have started the anti-Trump process much earlier in the game, and at this point one has to wonder if it will be to any avail.

Featured Image: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at American Airlines Center on Sept. 14, 2015. Courtesy | Nathan Hunsinger/The Dallas Morning News