Republican strategist: GOP is a ‘train wreck’

Posted on April 18, 2016
John Kasich and Pat Brady
Former Illinois GOP chairman Pat Brady (right) is backing John Kasich’s bid for the party’s nomination for president. (Photo courtesy Facebook/Pat Brady)

By Eric Stock

CHICAGO – A recent poll shows a majority of Republican voters say the candidate with the most delegates should get the party’s nomination for president.

Given that Donald Trump maintains the delegate lead, former Illinois Republic Party chairman Pat Brady told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin that appears to spell doom for the party.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Brady on WJBC.

“I have trouble envisioning a scenario where it doesn’t just blow this up one way or the other,” Brady said. “(Donald) Trump is a definite loser (in a general election), seven in 10 disapprove of him. (Ted) Cruz is not real popular either.

The NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll suggests a possible backlash against the GOP if it tries to take away the nomination from Trump as one in three candidates say the convention delegates should select the nominee, which could happen if no candidate secures the minimum number of delegates.

“It might be a complete reset for Republicans, but as I tell the kids, if you are going to wreck my car, wreck it all the way,” Brady quipped.

Brady is backing John Kasich who is a distant third in delegates behind Trump and Ted Cruz. He indicated Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton would appear to have a big advantage in the general election.

“She’s got a ton of money and the ‘first woman’ thing and she’s got a lot of things going for her and the biggest thing is (the Republican Party) is kind of a train wreck right now,” Brady said.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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