Republicans Chose Trump

Reminder:  Republican voters had lots of choices.  They chose Trump

Another reminder of what is in plain sight:  Republican voters chose Trump amid lots of other choices.

Voters rejected Christie

I was in New Hampshire on two long field trips and I joined Republican primary voters at "town hall" meetings for Lindsey Graham, Rand Paul, Chris Christie, Jeb Bush, Carly Fiorina, Ted Cruz, and a bunch more candidates.   Kasich, Bush, and Christie each had over 100 meetings--in New Hampshire alone.   They drew groups of some 100 people, but they were open to the public and given lots of publicity.   Lindsey Graham drew much smaller audiences but I watched him go where the voters were so on Veterans Day he visited a group of 200 or so veterans and spoke to them.

The broadcast air was full of commercials for everyone--except Trump.  Many of the candidates essentially abandoned whatever else they might have been doing (like serve as New Jersey governor) in order to introduce themselves to the people.   The people had every opportunity to look them over.

Bottom line:  Voters had their chance and voters had options.  

Rubio rejected

They chose Donald Trump instead of sitting governors and senators whose ideology and platform were well vetted by previous candidates.   These governors and senators weren't "crazy outliers", people who were legally available but in fact not suitable.   No.  They were perfectly reasonable, suitable, experienced, qualified people to run for president.  They were politically conservative,  small government, anti-abortion, pro-Christian, lower taxes, Hillary-hating normal Republicans, whose faces were familiar on Fox News and talk radio.   They were competent, skilled candidates for president.   

Voters rejected them.  They chose Trump instead.   I repeat this obvious self-evident fact because I visit with lots of Republicans who act astonished that their party made the choice it did, as if Trump was imposed on them from the outside.   I see on the news talk of NeverTrump and the idea that some magic might happen at the convention.

Bush rejected

Voters seem to like the bluff, bluster, strength so they defined the other candidates as weak in comparison.  Voters seem to like the anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim talk so they defined the other candidates as less able and vigorous at standing up for America.  Voters seem to like Trump's extemporaneous style so they watched him on TV and found him interesting while finding the other candidates less interesting, which is why the TV people did what they could have been expected to do: air Trump being interesting to bring in the audience they openly say they seek.

Trump had the key:  acceptable policy and excellent ratings.

Over the next four months we will hear complaints about how we got to this place but my observation of Republican crowds say it is pretty straightforward: it is what the GOP primary electorate voted for.  Republicans unhappy with their choice of Trump need to own and integrate the fact that Trump is who their fellow Republicans chose.