In what I think is the first example of this, a group of conservative activists that includes both Trump and Cruz supporters has sent an open letter to this week’s RNC conclave in Florida agreeing with Paul Ryan’s assertion that the GOP should only nominate someone who has actually run in the primaries.
Though the letter doesn’t reference the #NeverCoup hashtag, its objections are essentially the same: that the participation of millions of voters in primaries and caucuses would be shunted aside by D.C. insiders, inevitably suppressing turnout, and that such a newcomer candidate would have to start from scratch three months before a national election against the Hillary Machine. But also this, which should be obvious but which I hadn’t thought of:
The media will pounce, ignoring the flawed “super delegate” Democrat process, declaring the illegitimacy of the hand-selected candidate, and exploit criticisms from any of the three active GOP contenders and their followers.
You would have thought that after Ryan’s categorical rejection of the idea that he be the parachute candidate, this would be a moot point. But, as Jeremy Carl wrote yesterday, the party poohbahs still seem determined to use this week’s final RNC meeting before the convention to pave the way for a “white knight” (Hillary’s media cronies would love to keep repeating that for months).