“Donald Trump’s Message Resonates With White Supremacists” read a New York Times headline today. True as that may be, Donald Trump’s base of support isn’t just white supremacists — it’s the breadth of the anti-immigrant, pro-bigotry GOP base, and, increasingly, the party’s establishment.
With his utter dominance tonight, Donald Trump once again demonstrated that the Republican Party is the Party of Trump. His victory in South Carolina ten days ago and convincing wins tonight in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, proved Trump can turn out voters in southern states. But he similarly pulled off a win in Massachusetts, of all places. And even in Virginia, Trump is set to either win outright or pull off a delegate tie. All that to say: Donald Trump has proven the vast breadth of his appeal within the Republican Party — a reality that the GOP establishment has to comes to terms with, as abhorrent and embarrassing as it may be.
Even as Donald Trump has hesitated to reject an endorsement from former KKK leader David Duke, proposed a ban on all Muslims entering the U.S., and joked that committing murder would not cause him to lose support, establishment leaders from Speaker Paul Ryan to RNC Chair Reince Priebus, and Senators Orrin Hatch and John McCain, continue to affirm that they will support Trump as their party’s nominee.
And beyond their pledges of support, additional full-throated establishment endorsements have continued to roll in for Trump, including from Governors Chris Christie and Paul LePage, Senator Jeff Sessions, and former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer — not to mention additional endorsements from Representatives Duncan Hunter, Chris Collins, Tom Marino, and Scott DesJarlais. Even Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, for all their anti-Trump bluster, are similarly pledged to support Trump as the nominee.
So, it isn’t just white supremacists who are supporting Donald Trump. The Republican establishment and millions of party voters are similarly pledging their support to, and actively voting for, the GOP’s demagogic and xenophobic bigot-in-chief.
Here’s what the Republican Party is embracing with its commitment to Donald Trump and his racist extremism and bigotry:
- Inflammatory anti-immigrant rhetoric and hardline opposition to a pathway to citizenship;
- Abhorrent xenophobic fear-mongering;
- Hawkish and amateurish foreign policy;
- Tax plans that cost trillions and disproportionately boost the top 1%;
- Climate change denial;
- Opposition to paid family leave;
- Proposals that threaten seniors and future retirees earned benefits;
- Anti-choice opposition to funding women’s health programs; and,
- Refusals to give hardworking Americans a raise.
Published: Mar 1, 2016