… Self-identified Republicans make up a minority in the U.S. And it is a poor political strategy to appeal only to a minority of the minority when running for president. Yet, Trump is doing something even more politically devastating: he is alienating everyone else. It is not just that his comments appeal to one group—others find them deeply offensive and unsettling. Case in point: it takes a real effort to get Dick Cheney, Hillary Clinton, Paul Ryan, and Bernie Sanders all on the same page. Trump’s comments on a prohibition on Muslims’ entry into the U.S. did exactly that.
The reality is this: the Republican nominee must grow the party. …
The question to any Republican: name someone who said to himself in 2012 “I really like Barack Obama’s message and want him reelected” and also thinks, “this time, Donald Trump’s message resonates with me.” CONT.
John Hudak, Brookings Institution