Donald Trump is set to be the Republican US presidential candidate

[webfact]

Donald Trump is set to be the Republican US presidential candidate
By Catherine Hardy | With REUTERS, AFPF



John Kasich bows out
Ted Cruz had already retired
Trump faces a battle to unite the party
Search is on for a VP candidate

"We all need to unite and focus"

NEW YORK: -- Donald Trump is set to be the Republican Party candidate for the US presidential election.

John Kasich, the last remaining challenger for the Republican Party US presidential nomination has dropped out of the race.

Kasich’s departure leaves the presumptive nominee with the task of uniting a fractured party around his controversial bid for the White House.

The New York billionaire’s chief rival Ted Cruz bowed out on Tuesday after he was defeated in the Indiana primary.

How has this happened?
Trump’s win in Indiana made him the presumptive presidential nominee.

It averted the possibility of a contested convention in July, when Republicans choose their nominee.

His main rival, Ted Cruz, bowed out on Tuesday evening, followed by John Kasich on Wednesday.

It has also cleared the way for him to prepare for a likely match-up in the November general election against former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.

She lost the Indiana primary to her closest challenger, US Senator Bernie Sanders, but remains on track to become her party’s nominee.

How much opposition does Trump face?

A considerable amount.

GOP loyalists fear his positions on key issues could set the Republicans up for massive losses to the Democrats in the presidential election on November 8.

“Trumpisms” that have raised Republican eyebrows:

His comments about women
His plan to build a wall on the border with Mexico
His plan to deport 11m illegal immigrants
The 69-year-old was unrepentant in interviews on Wednesday morning. “Honestly, there are some people I really don’t want. People will be voting for me. They are not voting for the party.”

Does he have a vice presidential nominee?
Not yet.

He is quoted in the New York Times as saying he will soon form a team to help find one.

The name will be announced in July.

What they are saying
“We all need to unite and focus” – Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-05-05

[JakeSully]

One image says a thousand words..

[webfact]

Trump's open path to nomination causes agony for some in GOP
By JULIE PACE and STEVE PEOPLES

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump's last Republican foe, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, ended his quixotic presidential campaign Wednesday, cementing Trump's remarkable triumph as his party's presumptive nominee and launching him toward a likely fall battle with Hillary Clinton. Some reluctant Republicans began to rally around Trump, but others agonized over their party's future.

The billionaire businessman vowed to unite the splintered GOP, even as he was bitingly dismissive of members who have been critical of his campaign.

"Those people can go away and maybe come back in eight years after we served two terms," he said on NBC's "Today" Show. "Honestly, there are some people I really don't want."

Clinton, in her first remarks since Trump's new status was crystalized, said she was more than prepared to handle the kind of deeply personal attacks that helped defeat Trump's Republican rivals.

"To me, this is the classic case of a blustering, bullying guy," the all-but-certain Democratic nominee told CNN.

The long and chaotic Republican primary came to an abrupt end after Trump's decisive victory Tuesday in Indiana. His win pushed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, his closest rival, out of the race, with Kasich following on Wednesday.

"The people of our country changed me," Kasich said during an emotional speech announcing the end of his campaign. "They changed me with the stories of their lives."

Trump's takeover of the GOP marks one of the most stunning political feats in modern political history. A first-time candidate, he eschewed traditional fundraising and relied more on his own star power than television advertising to draw attention. He flouted political decorum with controversial statements about women and minorities, leaving some Republicans convinced he won't be able to cobble together the diverse coalition needed to win the general election.

"It's his party between now and November, but I don't think it's going to be his party after November," said Peter Wehner, a former adviser to President George W. Bush. Wehner is among the Republicans vowing to never vote for Trump, even if that means essentially handing Clinton the presidency.

Bob Vander Plaats, an influential evangelical leader who backed Cruz, withheld his support for Trump Wednesday, saying the real estate mogul needs to prove his conservative credentials with his vice presidential pick and more information about what kind of judges he would appoint. "It's kind of a wait-and-see moment with Mr. Trump," he said.

Vander Plaats and a handful of other Republicans are clinging to the hope that an alternative option might yet emerge. Operatives have floated former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse and former Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn as possible candidates for a third-party or independent bid. But that is a long shot at best, with filing deadlines for getting on state ballots fast approaching.

There was notable silence from major Republican leaders Wednesday. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not comment on Trump. A spokesman for George W. Bush said the former president "does not plan to participate in or comment on the presidential campaign" — a remarkable lack of public support for Trump from the last Republican to occupy the White House.

Still, several GOP governors and senators said they would support Trump, according to a survey by The Associated Press.

"Our first and foremost goal is to elect a conservative, pro-business, strong on national defense, a man who will stand behind our freedoms and our rights, and that person is Donald Trump," Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said. "It is not Hillary Clinton."

Clinton has yet to shake Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the democratic socialist who has energized young people and liberals with his calls for sweeping government-run health care and education programs. Still, Clinton has 93 percent of the delegates she needs to clinch the Democratic nomination and now is focusing her attention on Trump.

"He is a loose cannon and loose cannons tend to misfire," Clinton said Wednesday. Her campaign also released a web ad featuring clips of prominent Republicans, including his former rivals, bashing Trump.

Both Clinton and Trump head into the general election with historically high unfavorable ratings. But Clinton is generally popular within her own party, particularly with women and minority voters who are crucial to winning general election battleground states like Florida, Colorado and Nevada.

Some Republicans fear Trump's poor standing with those voters will not only cost the party the White House for a third straight term but the GOP's Senate majority as well. Some Republican senators in tough races struggled Wednesday to position themselves in a party with Trump at the helm. One, New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, said that while she would support him in the election, she would not endorse his candidacy.

Trump turned quickly to the general election, saying he would begin accepting more political donations and was starting to vet potential running mates. He told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" he was inclined to "go the political route" and pick someone with legislative experience.

He later said he could consider Kasich, predicting the Ohio governor would be helpful this fall in any role given his state's significance in the general election.

Though armed with an extensive resume in politics, Kasich struggled to connect with Republican primary voters in a year dominated by anti-establishment frustration. He was a more moderate candidate who embraced elements of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul and called for an optimistic and proactive Republican agenda.

___

Associated Press writers Bill Barrow, Lisa Lerer, Stephen Ohlemacher, Laurie Kellman and Julie Bykowicz contributed to this report from Washington.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-05-05

[ukrules]

Not a surprise at all.

I will be surprised if he's running against anyone other than Clinton.

My prediction : Trump will win because Clinton is hated more than Trump.

[Emster23]

Better Trump, who is merely narcissistic psychopath than religious radical extremist like Cruz.

[slipperylobster]

Republican party gathering forces...

Looks like a fine day to be American.

What inspiring times.... The face of American Politics is changing.

I do feel Trump has moved the Nation....towards an interest in positive changes.

No more Obama....no more Hillary.... please.

Living overseas, I have seen other Nations disrespect the USA....more and more. It breaks my heart.

Change is not only needed....it is a requirement for survival. Old policies just don't work. Old Politics has no more place here.

go Trump.

(give him a chance)

[i claudius]

One image says a thousand words..

So your saying that the will of the people is not what choosing a president should be about?

I believe they think that way in N Korea .as well

Edited May 5, 2016 by i claudius

[webfact]

Kasich ends bid for Republican nomination
KATHLEEN RONAYNE, Associated Press
JULIE CARR SMYTH, Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The last man standing in Donald Trump's path to the Republican nomination, Ohio Gov. John Kasich ended his campaign Wednesday, making Trump the party's presumptive nominee.

Speaking to reporters in Columbus, Ohio, Kasich didn't outline his reasons for ending his bid or mention Trump. Instead, he offered an emotional recount of his exchanges with voters on and renewed his call for Americans to spend more time helping one another.

He acknowledged it was a message that never seemed to resonate.

"The spirit, the essence of America lies in the hearts and souls of us," he said. "Some missed this message. It wasn't sexy, it wasn't a great soundbite."

Despite his inability to win any contests beyond Ohio, Kasich held on to become the last candidate battling Trump — albeit for only a few hours. His decision to end his campaign comes a day after his other remaining rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, announced that he was suspending his campaign.

Kasich was visibly emotional as he thanked his family and staff.

"Nobody has ever done more with less in the history of politics," he said.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump told CNN's Wolf Blitzer, "I think John's doing the right thing."

"I think John will be very helpful with Ohio, even as governor," he said. Trump stressed that he's had a good relationship with the Ohio governor and said he's willing to consider Kasich as his running mate. "I would be interested in vetting John," he said.

Touting his two terms as governor and 18 years in Congress, Kasich failed to gain traction with GOP voters in a race dominated by Trump's ability to seize on the electorate's anger and disdain of political insiders. Although Kasich tried to pitch himself as the best Republican to take on Hillary Clinton, the weight of the anti-Trump faction never got behind him.

Viewed widely as a longshot candidate from the start, Kasich's popularity shot up after his strong second-place finish in New Hampshire's primary in early February. But from the South to the Midwest, many voters were captivated by his boisterous rivals, and his efforts to cast himself as a nicer alternative fell short.

Kasich had pledged to take his campaign all the way to the Republican convention in Cleveland this summer, but his losses in almost all the primaries left him struggling to generate the money and resources needed to sustain a long-term bid. In an extraordinary effort to send the GOP contest into a contested convention, Kasich and Cruz forged an alliance in late April, going to the states where they were most likely to succeed and deprive Trump the delegates needed to reach the nomination.

As the race grew increasingly nasty on both sides, Kasich largely maintained his vow not to go negative — or, as he told voters, to "take the low road to the highest office in the land."

He did eventually launch a series of blistering criticisms against Trump's candidacy, blasting the businessman for creating a "toxic" environment and preying on people's fears.

Kasich, 63, plans to return to Ohio, where his second term as governor ends in 2018.

"As I suspend my campaign today, I have renewed faith, deeper faith, that the Lord will show me the way forward and fulfill the purpose of my life," he said.

___

Ronayne reported from Concord, New Hampshire.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-05-05

[JDGRUEN]

Trump will live long and triumph because the VOTERS voted for him ... The dinosaur - so called leadership - the Republican Elitist Establishment killed themselves by hating their own party members.

The Trump Nationalistic movement is huge and has a crossover following of Democrats, plus Libertarians, 'moderates' and the entire Conservative core of the Republican party... The fervor for Trump to be President is based on an Anti-Obama vote and it is also huge...

For a year now all the politically correct pundits have said Trump will crash and burn -- ALL were wrong. Trump and his following has only grown stronger and this will become a Tsunami by November voting time...

[Berkshire]

Let the general elections begin. I'm sure we'll be seeing more articles like this:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/ladies-and-gentlemen-the-gop-presidential-nominee-donald-trump-20160504

[slipperylobster]

Let the general elections begin. I'm sure we'll be seeing more articles like this:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/ladies-and-gentlemen-the-gop-presidential-nominee-donald-trump-20160504

He reminds me of the way my father used to talk.

However, it was all hype and showmanship. My father was a very good and kind man to everyone. Just something he grew up with. Not politically correct, but got everyone's attention. Sometimes comedy and racism overlap....and it's not always mean.

I like to look at this video....which is more up close and accurate.

It is what Trump is like, when not subjected to negativity.

https://youtu.be/lxaKUo5naoY

[daveAustin]

Go, The Don, shake the world up. Ignore the PC crowd in the UK and elsewhere, they don't speak for the majority.

[granuaile]

...

My prediction : Trump will win because Clinton is hated more than Trump.

Actually that's not backed up by polls, which show Clinton's favorability significantly higher than Donald Trump's, although still not great. Obama outdoes them both, so perhaps the argument that Clinton will be a continuation of the Obama administration is not a negative for her (it certainly isn't for me). I'm a Bernie supporter, but I'll support Hillary if she gets the nomination. The Clintons are too middle of the road for me, but they are far better than Trump (or any of the now gone contenders for the republican nomination). In 2008 Bill Clinton came to my town and I was happy to shake his hand, and he just returned again campaigning for Hillary. A former colleague of mine posted that she was so excited to have shook his hand and the political ignoramuses poked their noses in, to get quickly shot down. I think Hillary will get the nomination and will win the presidency because really the Clintons are well liked around the country. I wish it were Bernie, though I worry he might have a more difficult time defeating Trump. However, hopefully it will push Clinton farther on issues such as health care, education, and hopefully foreign policy. The last is my biggest concern, as she is far too hawkish for me but hopefully she learned lessons from the time she was in the Senate there.

Polls:

Trump: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/trump_favorableunfavorable-5493.html

Clinton: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/clinton_favorableunfavorable-1131.html

Obama: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/obama_favorableunfavorable-643.html

[wabothai]

Republican party gathering forces...

Looks like a fine day to be American.

What inspiring times.... The face of American Politics is changing.

I do feel Trump has moved the Nation....towards an interest in positive changes.

No more Obama....no more Hillary.... please.

Living overseas, I have seen other Nations disrespect the USA....more and more. It breaks my heart.

Change is not only needed....it is a requirement for survival. Old policies just don't work. Old Politics has no more place here.

go Trump.

(give him a chance)

Wouldn't it be nice to have a president of his stature to be hated by half the Americans and 3/4 of the rest of the world. Spells a nice disaster.

Commander in chief?

[Johnpound46]

One image says a thousand words..

So your saying that the will of the people is not what choosing a president should be about?

I believe they think that way in N Korea .as well

So many people believe that their opinion is shared by a vast majority and that they can speak of "the will of the people".

[Srikcir]

Not a surprise at all.

I will be surprised if he's running against anyone other than Clinton.

My prediction : Trump will win because Clinton is hated more than Trump.

Recent CNN/ORC poll: both Clinton and Trump are more unfavorable than favorable. CNN reports that since 1992, only two candidates have been deemed less than 50% favorable heading into the election: Mitt Romney, 44% favorability in April 2012, and Bill Clinton, 42% in April 1992.

More importantly: Voters' reasons for backing Clinton is largely split, with 48% of her supporters saying they would vote for her because they support her, while 51% said their vote is an expression of their opposition to Trump.

On the other side, 57% of Trump's supporters are backing him in opposition of having another Clinton in the White House, while 43% actually support his campaign.

Of course poll results will likely change when Trump and Clinton begin to focus their campaigns more directly against each other.

[puukao]

It's time for 10 terms.......President TRUMP for the next 40 years!!!!!

Let's see if we can make him a trillionaire while the poor builds him pyramids!!!!

The new world order will continue, albeit a little stranger....

Drink the Trump kool-aid.......I just had my third glass....

[partington]

Trump will live long and triumph because the VOTERS voted for him ... The dinosaur - so called leadership - the Republican Elitist Establishment killed themselves by hating their own party members.

The Trump Nationalistic movement is huge and has a crossover following of Democrats, plus Libertarians, 'moderates' and the entire Conservative core of the Republican party... The fervor for Trump to be President is based on an Anti-Obama vote and it is also huge...

For a year now all the politically correct pundits have said Trump will crash and burn -- ALL were wrong. Trump and his following has only grown stronger and this will become a Tsunami by November voting time...

Tsunamis always end well don't they?

[up2u2]

Excellent Kasich worried me. He positioned himself moderate right wing and that would have more broad appeal and posed a threat to Hillary. Trump is the best candidate to go up against. He can attempt to reposition himself but I would doubt American's can be that easily fooled.

Okay Democrats "RELEASE THE HOUNDS!!!!!!!!!!!"

[ilostmypassword]

One image says a thousand words..

So your saying that the will of the people is not what choosing a president should be about?

I believe they think that way in N Korea .as well

The representative animal of the United States is the bald eagle, not the elephant. You seem to have confused the Republican party with the United States. I bet there were once people who that the nation died with the passing of the Whig party. too.

[NickJ]

What if he gets elected and does what he says he wants to do?....Maybe appoints some Ambasadors that know business and can work on the many problems. Whats so wrong about having a guy in the oval office that is not beholden to anyone. He seems to have done well for himself in the private sector. He also has some very smart people in his organization. So with the right people around him who knows. He seems to think that there are liberal fixes and conservative fixes to problems.....Not stuck on just one side of the fence......

[hlj]

Lets all wait and see if the federal courts indite her for her emails and actions overseas we should know in 8 weeks.

[dcpo]

Republican party gathering forces...

Looks like a fine day to be American.

What inspiring times.... The face of American Politics is changing.

I do feel Trump has moved the Nation....towards an interest in positive changes.

No more Obama....no more Hillary.... please.

Living overseas, I have seen other Nations disrespect the USA....more and more. It breaks my heart.

Change is not only needed....it is a requirement for survival. Old policies just don't work. Old Politics has no more place here.

go Trump.

(give him a chance)

Other nations disrespect the US, and you think Trump is the man to change that?

[GeorgesAbitbol]

All the trump fanboys here seem to think they are the majority

Here is a reality Check

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_clinton-5491.html

Only FOX News polls show him victorious

Edited May 5, 2016 by GeorgesAbitbol

[slipperylobster]

Republican party gathering forces...

Looks like a fine day to be American.

What inspiring times.... The face of American Politics is changing.

I do feel Trump has moved the Nation....towards an interest in positive changes.

No more Obama....no more Hillary.... please.

Living overseas, I have seen other Nations disrespect the USA....more and more. It breaks my heart.

Change is not only needed....it is a requirement for survival. Old policies just don't work. Old Politics has no more place here.

go Trump.

(give him a chance)

Wouldn't it be nice to have a president of his stature to be hated by half the Americans and 3/4 of the rest of the world. Spells a nice disaster.

Commander in chief?

It already is that way. I don't know why you missed the boat, but America has, for a long time now, become a pariah.

That was before Trump. Nobody has a crystal ball, but we do know what the past and present says. Start asking your British, Australian, German neighbors what they think of America. I hear precious few good comments...compared to how it was when I was a teenager (traveling all over Europe and living there)

So you fear the future? You fear Trump cannot arrange Trade/business negotiations, increase the stature of our military, let Generals do the job they were paid to do?

Are you aware that many excellent presidents (Commanders in Chief) were not military leaders..nor were they experienced in strategy? The best ones trusted their Generals out on the field.

Presidents are not warlords like genghis kahn. Nor should they be.

[slipperylobster]

All the trump fanboys here seem to think they are the majority

Here is a reality Check

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_clinton-5491.html

Only FOX News polls show him victorious

Is he laughing at his own joke...or is it the medication has not been refilled?

somebody tell him that polls are not accurate...

he thinks that a poll taken weeks ago can predict who wins in November.

What these polls did not take into account was that Cruz and Kasich just dropped out...and Trump pretty much wins the nomination.

If it's polls that convince you...then wait for some new ones...something more fresh. You are not factoring in the momentum that this victory gives Trump...and the new party backing (that he did not previously have)

Hillary is stagnant. Bernie has been take large bites out of her popularity........ Trump is on the move.

I

Edited May 5, 2016 by slipperylobster

[Johnpound46]

What if he gets elected and does what he says he wants to do?....Maybe appoints some Ambasadors that know business and can work on the many problems. Whats so wrong about having a guy in the oval office that is not beholden to anyone. He seems to have done well for himself in the private sector. He also has some very smart people in his organization. So with the right people around him who knows. He seems to think that there are liberal fixes and conservative fixes to problems.....Not stuck on just one side of the fence......

"He seems to have done well for himself in the private sector." You hit the nail right on the head there. He's done well for himself and a small clique around him, but stepped on a lot of toes and screwed a lot of people over in the process, and did not seem to give two hoots about the thousands of people that he employed.

And he did well for himself in the private sector, but running a country is a completely different matter altogether.

[dunroaming]

It was said many times "be careful what you wish for". Well a lot have people have got their wish now!

[Inepto Cracy]

In 8 months time we will see the three T's in the newspaper headlines.

Trump, Trumpets to Triumph.

[balo]

If he becomes the new president will he be allowed to travel to the UK ? I think he is not wanted there .....