Trump electable? The Donald still has to convince middle-of-the-road voters

Is Donald Trump electable?

That is the question that has many Republicans tied up in knots.

Obviously, he is revered by millions of Americans, who view his "in your face" style as the answer to the years of political stalemate they have come to expect from Washington.

But others, and that includes many members of the GOP, see him as a polarizing figure who would drive away as many voters in November as he would attract.

The dilemma has Republican leaders in a quandary -- give in and accept him as the eventual nominee, or fight him tooth and nail even if it means splitting the Grand Old Party.

Were there a more appealing Democrat in the mix, the decision might be much easier. But Hillary Clinton is a polarizing figure herself, mistrusted by many voters, and Bernie Sanders has shown himself to be so far to the left that he is absolutely unpalatable to the majority of Americans.

So that brings us back to The Donald and whether or not he can convince the middle-of-the-road Republicans that he can change his spots, so to speak, and prove himself to be the real leader he says he can be.

Published in Editorials on March 19, 2016 11:43 PM