This. I read the whole OP before I went back and checked the date. But it is still a good analysis for the dangers to the GOP.
Trump will be running for re-election in 2020, absent health issues and/or major scandal. And by “major” I don’t mean the kind of things that have already been kicked around - something real. One danger might be that the Dems have screamed “wolf” so much over the next four years that people tune them out. like Democrats thought happened with Hillary and her scandals. Or perhaps the GOP will be stuck with a losing candidate because of something that did stick with the electorate, but they can’t dump Trump. And that the GOP won’t revamp their primary process, because it picked a winner in 2016. That, however, might be more an issue in 2024 because, come what might, the current President gets re-nominated unless the party to which he belongs wants to lose.
What will the Dems do? Their primary process is heavily weighted to picking another establishment Democrat, and Hillary, the ultimate establishment Democrat, lost. Are they going to go with an outsider? It can’t be Bernie - he is way too old. It won’t be Hillary again - she has had two grabs at the golden ring, and came up short twice. Third time lucky doesn’t apply, and she will be (I think) 73 and even less charismatic. The Dems are also at a significant disadvantage if they want a fresh face - most governorships in the US are Republicans, and most state legislatures are GOP controlled as well, so Dems don’t get a chance to shine.
What does the GOP do with a RINO President? I suppose it depends on what the RINO does. Maybe the best-case scenario is that the GOP Congress keeps the RINO in line, and the RINO keeps the GOP Congress in line, in terms of not doing anything too radical.
Or who knows? Certainly not me - I was consistently wrong about everything in 2016.
Regards,
Shodan