As Donald Trump mocked his opponents and gushed that “I love the poorly educated” Nevada voters who handed him his third straight Republican presidential election during his victory speech Tuesday night, essentially cementing his pathway to the nomination, conservatives were in complete disarray as they openly grabbled with the prospects of the “Celebrity Apprentice” boss serving as the titular head of the conservative movement in America going forward.
While conservative firebrand Michelle Malkin took to Twitter to call for calm in the face of the Trump storm:
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) February 24, 2016
Most conservatives spent the evening expressing their frustration with Trump’s seemingly insurmountable dominance and wallowing in self-pity at the thought of another Republican defeat this November.
Glenn Beck turned to Facebook to lash out at Trump supporters after the blustery billionaire made a surprise, last minute campaign stop at a Nevada caucuses site where the conservative talk show host was stumping for Ted Cruz:
Trump supporters are brown shirts. Some of them will end in jail.Dana from the blaze is receiving death threats and…
Posted by Glenn Beck on Wednesday, February 24, 2016
After it became apparent that Trump had won Tuesday’s election, Cruz’s other vocal right-wing radio backer, Mark Levin, lashed out at Trump online, tweeting a link to a video of Trump’s speech in Sparks, Nevada earlier on Tuesday where he suggested that voters shouldn’t support candidates who never return to a state after campaigning:
Who's a nasty liar, using tricks, and sick now, Donald? https://t.co/RTNyQayRqS
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) February 24, 2016
Prominent Iowa conservative radio host and big time Cruz backer Steve Deace went on an epic Twitter tear Wednesday:
#1 reason Trump would lose in the fall. Plenty of conservatives loathe GOP and want to see it implode, and Trump gives them their excuse.
— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) February 24, 2016
Trump is such a loathsome, feckless figure that everybody the GOP has ever betrayed now has their cover to go burning bed on the party.
— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) February 24, 2016
There's nothing noble about a Trump candidacy. Which is why you're seeing important people say they'll never vote for him. There'll be more.
— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) February 24, 2016
Nominating Trump would be like nominating George Wallace in 1968.
— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) February 24, 2016
Trump will have to create an entirely new coalition, because the Reagan Coalition will be dead and buried.
— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) February 24, 2016
There's not enough voters for Trump to create a new coalition. Look at the primary. We get record turnout he still only gets avg of 34%.
— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) February 24, 2016
Red State editor Erick Erickson was in such a state of shock and resignation that he suggested a possible third party challenge to Trump from former Texas governor and two-time failed presidential candidate Rick Perry — obviously a last ditch plea of desperation:
Former Ted Cruz spokesperson and current CNN commentary Amanda Carpenter ignored her months of Trump boosting to blame Republican leadership for creating “a monster”:
And while right-wing radio heavyweight Rush Limbaugh has no problem waffling between Trump boosting and Cruz cheerleading, his brother and conservative author David was quick to lament the rise of Donald following his third first place finish:
No one has really defined Trump. He’s been allowed to be all things to all people wherever, whenever. It’s amazing the pass he’s gotten.
— David Limbaugh (@DavidLimbaugh) February 24, 2016
The New York Times’ resident religious conservative was particularly left aghast about what this means for his party, the party that is set to select The Donald:
Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Poorly Educated and Save the American Dream.
— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) February 24, 2016
Bad Religion: How a Nation of Heretics Elected Donald Trump:https://t.co/qboKcRLWc5
— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) February 24, 2016
Gonna re-issue all my books as a boxed set for the Age of Trump, people. With new forewords by Ann Coulter, Pat Robertson, and Sarah Palin.
— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) February 24, 2016
More mellow drama from a RedState editor:
Fox News’ Brit Hume, however, took a more cautiously optimistic tone:
Old conventional wisdom: Trump can't win.
New conventional wisdom: Trump can't lose.
Moral: Be skeptical of conventional wisdom.— Brit Hume (@brithume) February 24, 2016
Writing at the National Review, Fox News contributor Jonah Goldberg offered a possible Trump stop: A Cruz/Rubio unity ticket.
“Waiting for ‘the establishment’ … is like waiting for Godot to bring the beer to the party,” the conservative columnist wrote, imploring the two Cuban-American Republican candidates to present to America the first ever majority, minority presidential ticket.
#loshermanoscubanos https://t.co/avve7Bh8TD
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) February 24, 2016
And Commentary columnist Noah Rothman also held out hope that Trump can be stopped:
While the Weekly Standard’s Bill Kristol offered his sage advice to Trump rival, Marco Rubio: Shrug off “Trump fatalism” and finally take the fight to The Donald during Thursday’s GOP debate:
Advice to Rubio: "to be the man, you need to beat the man…take on Trump in tomorrow night's debate."https://t.co/x5gtBFNHfV
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) February 24, 2016
