Who Could Save the G.O.P.? Republicans Weigh Some Ideas
Speaker Paul D. Ryan’s absolute abnegation of absorption in the presidential chase on Tuesday appeared to extinguish a longstanding fantasy of Republican leaders: That Mr. Ryan ability ride into the assemblage in Cleveland as a white charlatan to affiliate the burst affair and affirmation its nomination.But if the House apostle seems bent not to play the role of savior in 2016, the aisle envisioned for him ability still be accessible to addition abruptness candidate, if neither Donald J. Trump nor Ted Cruz can defended the choice afterwards several circuit of acclamation at the assemblage starting on July 18.
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| Who Could Save the G.O.P.? Republicans Weigh Some Ideas |
There are alone a few abstracts in civic backroom who ability be able — even apparently — to fit the bill:
The Throwback
Why
In a affair with few arresting civic leaders, Mitt Romney stands out for his ability and acquaintance in presidential politics. He has ahead congenital a civic attack and debated a sitting admiral as the party’s 2012 presidential nominee. The above governor of Massachusetts and clandestine disinterestedness controlling is acutely admired a allotment of Republican donors, and has accepted he can win the right-of-center, burghal voters, allotment of the electorate in which Mr. Trump performs poorly.
If Mr. Romney is a beneath than arresting personality, he would assume to be a safe bet, foreclosing the anticipation of absolute abasement beneath a appointee from alfresco the political mainstream. Mr. Romney has shrugged off questions about a white-knight bid, but he has aswell alleged absolutely for an accessible assemblage to adjudge the nominee.
Why Not
Mr. Romney has already run for the admiral twice, and third affairs appear forth rarely in presidential politics. In a affair arrant out for anti-establishment leaders, Mr. Romney looks like the Harvard-educated son of a governor that he is.
And, accepting savaged Mr. Trump as a afflictive candidate, Mr. Romney would be ill able to agent accord amid the pro- and anti-Trump camps.
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| Who Could Save the G.O.P.? Republicans Weigh Some Ideas |
Why
The dream comes forth every four to eight years — that a political party, confronted with a card of afflictive options in the presidential race, ability be adored by a ballsy amount in uniform. The soldier in catechism varies: it was Colin Powell in the 1990s, and Wesley K. Clark and David Petraeus in added contempo elections. A nonmilitary figure, above Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, was floated for carnality admiral in 2008 and 2012, for agnate reasons.
This year, Republican belief has focused on two retired Marine generals, James N. Mattis and John F. Kelly, with Mr. Mattis abnormally a amount of interest. Neither man is a activated politician, but the angel of a busy adept striding assimilate the assemblage attic to save the Republican Affair is understandably appealing.
And while Ms. Rice has not bidding any absorption in the race, she has alone ablaze her political accreditation over time, giving a well-received prime-time abode at the 2012 Republican convention, and blockage out of the ugliest frays of 2016.
Why Not
If drafting a beginning applicant from alfresco the presidential chase looks like a alpine order, enlisting anyone from alfresco of backroom would be an even stiffer challenge. Senior aggressive admiral are generally able at abyssal the account media and behind-the-scenes Beltway politics, but a head-to-head challenge adjoin Mr. Trump is something absolutely different.
And for a Republican Affair that has subjected its candidates in contempo years to brainy tests of ascent intensity, a accepted with few declared angle on alienated political issues ability be a boxy sell.
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| Who Could Save the G.O.P.? Republicans Weigh Some Ideas |
Why
If Republican leaders aim to block the better accepted vote-getter from the nomination, it ability be harder to alter him with anyone who has never faced the civic electorate at all in 2016. Two above candidates, Marco Rubio and Rick Perry, ability accept at atomic a admeasurement of angary to attempt on the assemblage floor.
Mr. Rubio no best has the aforementioned winner’s attitude he had bisected a year ago, but abounding of the affidavit he looked on cardboard like a able general-election applicant still apply: The adolescence and assortment he would accompany to the Republican ticket, the senator’s political abject in Florida, and his affluence and activity as a accessible communicator. Since abandoning from the presidential chase in March, Mr. Rubio has kept quiet and withheld his endorsement.
Mr. Perry has campaigned aggressively for Mr. Cruz, but in a television account endure ages beneath to aphorism out active as an absolute or ascent a assemblage bid. He has a abutting accord with the bourgeois grass roots, and the above Texas governor floated in a affair of anti-Trump activists in March as a accessible third-party contender.
Why Not
While above candidates like Mr. Rubio and Mr. Perry can avowal of accepting presented themselves to the voters in 2016, the about-face ancillary is that both men accept already been rejected. For both, the acquaintance of active for admiral was humbling, and both were ashamed on civic agitation stages in acutely memorable ways.
Like Mr. Romney, Mr. Rubio and Mr. Perry affronted Mr. Trump.
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| Who Could Save the G.O.P.? Republicans Weigh Some Ideas |
Why
Any Republican called who is not called Donald Trump ability face relentless, absinthian attacks from Mr. Trump anon aloft claiming the nomination. Unless, that is, the being were a abutting political accessory of Mr. Trump.
If Mr. Trump cannot accomplish himself acceptable abundant to the boilerplate to affirmation the nomination, again conceivably a hardly beneath alienated amount could dive in, in his stead. Mr. Trump’s a lot of arresting backers in top appointment are Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama and Gov. Rick Scott of Florida, and Mr. Christie, at least, already has a well-demonstrated absorption in the presidency.
Why Not
A Trump Lite ability be able to accomplish it beyond the 1,237 mark, but he would hardly be in a position to win over the Republican establishment, abundant of which considers abutment for Mr. Trump an unforgivable apostasy. And there has been no evidence, so far, that Mr. Trump’s abutment is communicable to added candidates: His affront is a personality-driven movement and his supporters accept been aggressive to half-a-loaf versions of the Trump message.
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| Who Could Save the G.O.P.? Republicans Weigh Some Ideas |
Why
Mr. Ryan has alone the abstraction of active for admiral just as agilely as he alone the abstraction of active for speaker, up until the minute he afflicted his mind. He charcoal an adorable standard-bearer, a adolescent man already activated in a civic campaign, and an clear avatar of acceptable Republican ethics that Mr. Trump has abundantly rebuked.
Why Not
Mr. Ryan appears aboveboard in his admiration to annihilate allocution of a 2016 bid, and it is absurd that he could serve as both a presidential applicant and apostle of the House simultaneously. And his angle on several alienated issues, including immigration, ability disqualify him in the eyes of Trump and Cruz voters.
Still, Mr. Ryan’s admirers are abundant and determined, and some may not accord up until anyone abroad is formally accepted in July as the party’s nominee.
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