John Kasich is dropping out of the Republican presidential race, two sources familiar with the plan confirmed to CNN.And let's have one more look at Cruz dropping out, shall we?
Kasich's decision came after he improbably became the last challenger to Donald Trump, who emerged as the presumptive GOP nominee Tuesday night when Ted Cruz dropped out.
WATCH: Cruz accidentally hits wife in the head after dropping out https://t.co/qzhzoP9Ynr https://t.co/GcURRp5MkJ— The Hill (@thehill) May 4, 2016
What a fun year, right? Or maybe it's been horrifying. Nobody even knows anymore. We're punch drunk from absurdity and only just beginning to dread the long hard slog to come.
The poll suggested that Mrs. Clinton’s support is driven heavily by aversion to a Trump candidacy: 51 percent of her supporters say their backing comes more from opposition to Mr. Trump than from a preference for the Democratic candidate. But the same is true for those who said they supported Mr. Trump: 57 percent said their backing was driven by an opposition to Mrs. Clinton.The remainder of the race for the highest office in the land will be a dismal war of attrition because clearly the nation hates itself. And, really, who can blame us? We're in an awful state. The world is falling apart around us largely because of shit we did. The oceans are threatening to swallow our population centers. Police harass and kill us. We're all about to be replaced by robots. We're so afraid of government surveillance that we've even stopped asking questions. It's really no wonder the election will culminate in a months long act of national self flagellation. In what way could we possibly deserve better?
Already we've begun casting about for consolation. But it is fleeting. Does the fact that a Trump Presidency is still pretty unlikely make you feel better? I think we've already established that's a solid meh. Is it comforting to revel in just how wrong so many pundits have been? Sort of. But then, we've all been thrown for a loop this year. I took "Trump will not be the nominee" at least into November. I'm still kind of amazed the Masters Of The Universe among the GOP donor and power brokering class weren't able to contrive some excuse to take it away from him. There's still an outside chance some back room convention conspiracy produces a mystery replacement. They'll call him "Trevor Nump" but really it will just be Jeb! in a mustache. Better to just give up.
Anyway, it probably isn't as bad as it looks for the Republicans. Despite the rush of discouraging polls and dismal pronouncements this week, the party is far from "doomed." If anything, the now likely event of a Trump loss to Hillary perpetuates the status quo. During a certain to be unpopular Hillary Administration, the Republicans will continue on as the angry opposition party much like they have been under Obama. They'll argue that Clinton has no real mandate because Trump was a freak candidate. They'll even hint that his campaign was deliberate sabotage.
They'll still control Congress. There's some argument they might lose the Senate this year but I'm not yet convinced of that. In any case they'll certainly hold the House. They'll also continue to hold most of the state legislatures and governorships. Republican congressional candidates this year don't have to worry too much about Trump embarrassing them. All they have to do is run against Hillary. "We know Hitlery will be President," they'll say to local voters. "Send me to Washington to defend against her Socialist plot to unisex up your bathrooms," or whatever. It will be easy. Hillary Clinton is not well liked by almost anyone.
The Republicans will be fine. Don't shed any tears for them. Ted Cruz, we're not so sure about. But then Trump just put Ben Carson in charge of helping him pick a V-P candidate so lots of things are possible. Okay, well, maybe not that. I know things are bad but do we really deserve that?
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