The GOP’s Summer Meltdown

Rick Klein: “Donald Trump’s challenge to the Republican establishment is no longer new. But his post-conventions behavior is creating a new definitional, if not existential, crisis for the GOP. Trump has only himself to blame for engaging in and sustaining a fight against a gold star family. Similarly, it was his choice to decline to endorse Paul Ryan and John McCain in their Republican primaries. His actions in the last few days have led to a meltdown in Republican circles, with some prominent party voices intervening to urge him to drastically change course, and some beginning to voice their intent to vote for Hillary Clinton.”

“Trump is practically daring people like Ryan and McCain to un-endorse him, based, apparently, on his belief that he can win without their help. At a time when he should be expanding his appeal and his circle of supporters, the Republican nominee is moving in the opposite direction. Trump is letting Trump be Trump. The Republican Party, meanwhile, is getting a raw look at what that means – with limited time to do anything about it.”

First Read: “We’re at the point where there’s GOP chatter about key Republicans coming out hard against their own nominee – and especially eyeing Trump’s falling polling numbers to gauge the point at which they need to come up with a ‘break glass’ backup plan to save down-ballot seats.”