Republican officials are jumping ship from the turbulent Donald Trump campaign in unprecedented numbers, political experts say, as the party's unhinged nominee pivots from one outlandish point to the next — but the mogul will likely make it through choppy waters through Nov. 8 unless GOP leaders like Paul Ryan swim for shore, too.
More than 200 current and former Republican elected and administration officials, as well as figures from the party apparatus and the conservative media, have said in recent weeks that they simply cannot support Trump, citing his increasingly erratic statements, his lack of policy specifics and his recklessness on the international stage, with many of them saying they'd vote for Hillary Clinton instead.
On Sunday, just days after upward of 70 Republicans signed an open letter to party boss Reince Priebus urging him to not spend any cash on Trump's bid, senior officials at the Republican National Committee reportedly began discussing cutting all support to Trump, according to Politico.
"You can feel his sense of legitimacy dribbling away with each pained withdrawal of support," David Birdsell, dean of the Public Affairs School at Baruch College, told the Daily News about the ongoing defections from Trump, adding that he'd "never seen anything like it."
By any account, Trump's last few weeks have been disastrous. Since the end of the Republican National Convention last month, the businessman has insulted Gold Star parents, encouraged Russian hackers to find Hillary Clinton's deleted emails and proposed that the U.S. not uphold its NATO obligations. He topped the staggering stretch off by, just this past week, suggesting Second Amendment supporters turn their weapons on Clinton as a way to prevent her from nominating her preferred judges if elected.
Trump campaign chairman said Sunday that the mogul’s team is “very strong” and “moving forward” despite the fact that, amid the nominee’s constant missteps, his polls numbers have fallen nationally and in swing states and a trickle of defections turned into a flood.
As of this weekend, at least 21 current Republican office-holders, 22 former GOP office-holders, 43 GOP Republican National Committee officials and prominent non-officer holders and 54 national security officials from prior Republican administrations had all publicly said they would not vote for Trump.
Trump sends unprecedented numbers of GOP fleeing to Clinton
With 90 days to go I doubt there will be any Republicans voting for Trump. The next step will be Republicans endorsing Hillary Clinton, like former friend and staffer of Ronald Reagan did.
More than 200 current and former Republican elected and administration officials, as well as figures from the party apparatus and the conservative media, have said in recent weeks that they simply cannot support Trump, citing his increasingly erratic statements, his lack of policy specifics and his recklessness on the international stage, with many of them saying they'd vote for Hillary Clinton instead.
On Sunday, just days after upward of 70 Republicans signed an open letter to party boss Reince Priebus urging him to not spend any cash on Trump's bid, senior officials at the Republican National Committee reportedly began discussing cutting all support to Trump, according to Politico.
"You can feel his sense of legitimacy dribbling away with each pained withdrawal of support," David Birdsell, dean of the Public Affairs School at Baruch College, told the Daily News about the ongoing defections from Trump, adding that he'd "never seen anything like it."
By any account, Trump's last few weeks have been disastrous. Since the end of the Republican National Convention last month, the businessman has insulted Gold Star parents, encouraged Russian hackers to find Hillary Clinton's deleted emails and proposed that the U.S. not uphold its NATO obligations. He topped the staggering stretch off by, just this past week, suggesting Second Amendment supporters turn their weapons on Clinton as a way to prevent her from nominating her preferred judges if elected.
Trump campaign chairman said Sunday that the mogul’s team is “very strong” and “moving forward” despite the fact that, amid the nominee’s constant missteps, his polls numbers have fallen nationally and in swing states and a trickle of defections turned into a flood.
As of this weekend, at least 21 current Republican office-holders, 22 former GOP office-holders, 43 GOP Republican National Committee officials and prominent non-officer holders and 54 national security officials from prior Republican administrations had all publicly said they would not vote for Trump.
Trump sends unprecedented numbers of GOP fleeing to Clinton
With 90 days to go I doubt there will be any Republicans voting for Trump. The next step will be Republicans endorsing Hillary Clinton, like former friend and staffer of Ronald Reagan did.
