Rubio, Kasich Now Say They May NOT Support Trump If He is the Nominee
Although Ted Cruz is still maintaining that he would support Trump if he proves to be the eventual GOP nominee in the race for the White House, Both Marco Rubio and John Kasich have begun to step away from earlier commitments they each made to do the same.
In the wake of violence that has emerged at Trump rallies in recent days, both Rubio and Kasich (and Cruz, for that matter) have placed much of the blame for the troubles at Trump���s feet, saying that he has created a climate, with his controversial rhetoric, that has actually served to cause the protestor violence that has quickly become a common sight at Trump rallies. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Rubio said that he may no longer be able to commit to supporting Trump if he becomes the Republican party���s standard-bearer, citing his objection to the way Trump is ���dividing both the party and the country so bitterly." As for Kasich, he has even gone a little further in his suggestions that he may not support Trump, saying that the ���toxic environment��� Trump has created makes it ���extremely difficult��� for him (Kasich) to see himself as a Trump supporter during the general election campaign.
The simple fact is that it is comments like these, along with so many other sharp anti-Trump comments made by Rubio, Kasich, and Cruz in recent weeks, that make it basically impossible for any of these contenders to credibly campaign for Trump if he does win the nomination. Voters understand, during primary season, that intra-party candidates competing against one another will level policy-based criticisms���and even a few, low-level personal ones���in what is largely seen as a ���garden variety��� sort of way. However, when those criticisms cross the line to become acutely personal and very virulent, then those candidates lose whatever natural ability they once had to campaign on behalf of the eventual nominee.
Beyond blaming Trump for the violence that has broken out at recent rallies, the other candidates have publicly discussed how they might work together to derail Trump���s move toward the nomination. Amazingly, Rubio, while still claiming to be a sincere candidate for the nomination, has instructed his supporters in Ohio to cast their primary votes for hometown favorite Kasich���someone who has little national strength���simply for the purpose of defeating Trump!
The point is that the other GOP notables have engaged in so much explicit, anti-Trump targeting that it is simply not possible to walk that back sufficiently such that any of those, were they to actually take a stage somewhere for Trump in the fall, would be taken seriously by anyone. Cruz, Rubio, and Kasich might just as well come out right now and say they will not support Trump if he proves to be the nominee, because each has come out so strongly, and so personally, against Trump in recent days and weeks that any pro-Trump message they try to preach, going forward, will be immediately and justifiably discredited.
By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large
