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Republicans slide towards existential crisis

Ines Pohl
Ines Pohl
March 2, 2016

Once again, Trump has swept several states and seems unstoppable. Except perhaps by his own party, if it refuses to listen to voters and opts for a different candidate. Not really possible in a democracy, says Ines Pohl.

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USA Vorwahlen Präsidentschaftswahlen Super Tuesday Donald Trump
Image: Reuters/C. Bergin

Hillary Clinton is the clear winner of this Super Tuesday. She's practically unstoppable now, having won so many delegates directly and been assured of the backing of most superdelegates. Despite winning four states in a respectable manner, Bernie Sanders no longer represents serious competition.

If I take a moment to pause amid all this election madness, what becomes clear is that history is being written, and something incredible is happening. In all likelihood, Hillary Clinton will be the first female presidential nominee in the United States.

She has been fighting to get to the White House for years. No humiliation - neither her husband's affairs nor political setbacks - has stopped her. Her view is that it is not a problem to fall off a horse; what would be wrong would not to get back on.

Sheer discipline and willpower

Hillary Clinton epitomizes sheer discipline and willpower. But it would be unfair to reduce these to mere hunger for power. She has consistently fought for what she perceives to be a better and more just world. ObamaCare would not have happened without her groundwork.

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DW's Ines Pohl

You don't have to agree with all her views on politics and economics, but it is important to point out her commitment on today of all days. America in 2016 is more than Donald Trump.

This brings me to the biggest loser of Super Tuesday: The Republican Party, the GOP. Trump swept to victory in seven of 11 states and now has the backing of 258 delegates. As expected, Ted Cruz won in Texas, but his close win in Oklahoma came as a surprise, bringing his total of delegates up to 110. Something really astonishing would have to happen for him to surpass Trump now, though. The fight seems over for Florida Senator Marco Rubio - he was unable to fulfill the hopes young moderate Republicans had put on him after his recent attacks on Trump.

So now the GOP enters a delicate phase.

Own candidate?

Should Republican delegates really nominate Trump as the GOP's presidential candidate at their convention this summer? Some well-known Republicans are beginning to speak in more or less open terms about refusing Trump this support, about finding an alternative candidate.

But what message about democracy would this send to voters in individual states?

Despite the GOP's woes, delegates who take elections seriously will have to accept the results.

Furthermore, Donald Trump announced early on that he would run as an independent candidate if need be. Without backing perhaps, but with evidence that he is unstoppable. Not even by a party for which he entered the election campaign and which could slide into an existential crisis of credibility if it turned against him.

A textbook example of a dilemma with which not only the Greek gods are confronted but the entire world.

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Ines Pohl
Ines Pohl Bureau head of DW's Washington Studio@inespohl