The results from South Carolina and Nevada reaffirm what should have been clear after February 9th in New Hampshire: Donald Trump is highly likely to be the GOP presidential nominee, and there’s nothing that’s been tried by his rivals so far that is going to change that.
Trump’s electoral appeal, shrewd instincts, and skill in shaping the debate are already well documented. But consider three things from Trump’s approach that stand out from his competitors’:
He has a campaign theme
He tries to win in every state
He’s relentless on TV with his message
It’s worth making these contrasts to learn how Trump’s rivals, particularly Ted Cruz, have underperformed against him. Of the group, Cruz comes closest to having a campaign theme, but it’s an internal message about the nominating contest rather than an argument to become president: “I’m the consistent conservative in the race.”
Marco Rubio’s argument is a derivative of what the Republican establishment always uses: “I’m as conservative as anybody in the race, and I can beat Hillary Clinton.”
Trump’s theme – the one printed on those red hats – is the only theme designed to win the White House, not just the Republican primaries.
It’s on the second point where Cruz has fallen out of contention with Trump.
