In an exclusive interview with The Hill, Donald Trump says that if the GOP establishment continues to treat him unfairly, he will take his act on the road and run as an independent (third party is a misnomer). Exclusive: Trump threatens third-party run:
Donald Trump says the chances that he will launch a third-party White House run will “absolutely” increase if the Republican National Committee is unfair to him during the 2016 primary season.
“The RNC has not been supportive. They were always supportive when I was a contributor. I was their fair-haired boy,” the business mogul told The Hill in a 40-minute interview from his Manhattan office at Trump Tower on Wednesday. “The RNC has been, I think, very foolish.”
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Pressed on whether he would run as a third-party candidate if he fails to clinch the GOP nomination, Trump said that “so many people want me to, if I don’t win.”
“I’ll have to see how I’m being treated by the Republicans,” Trump said. “Absolutely, if they’re not fair, that would be a factor.”
Trump told The Hill that the GOP establishment in Washington dislikes him because he’s not part of the political class.
“I’m not in the gang. I’m not in the group where the group does whatever it’s supposed to do,” he said. “I want to do what’s right for the country — not what’s good for special interest groups that contribute, not what’s good for the lobbyists and the donors.”
Many in the party’s establishment, pointing to his inflammatory comments about Mexican immigrants and McCain, say that Trump is badly hurting the GOP brand.
Yet he is connecting with a significant chunk of GOP voters. And despite criticism from party leaders and other presidential candidates, Trump appears fueled by controversy.
If there is one thing we know for certain, “The Donald” is all about getting even with people whom he feels have been “unfair” to him. No one has been immune to his insults and attacks in recent weeks.
If “the Donald” says he will take his show on the road and run as an independent, I would take him at his word. “Revenge is mine! Bwahahaha!” The only question is how much of the GOP vote he will take with him. Can he match Ross Perot’s high-water mark of 18.9% of the vote in 1992?
And just for fun, who could his running mate possibly be? Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog?
UPDATE: A new survey from Public Policy Polling shows Donald Trump is still leading the Republicans’ presidential race with 19% support, just two points ahead of Scott Walker’s 17%. Jeb Bush is third with 12%, followed by Ben Carson and Marco Rubio, who are tied for fourth with 10% each. No other candidate reached double digits.
Good! Glad to here it.