As the GOP primary has gotten underway, Donald Trump has stormed to the front of the crowded field, flummoxing many pundits in the process. In typical Trump fashion, that lead has come with a load of controversy.
Trump’s celebrity gives his candidacy a unique aspect that allows him to defy the conventional wisdom of the beltway. Many in the media believed few voters would take him seriously, and that his campaign would flounder early on. His rise to the top of the polls and his ability to maintain his lead for an extended period of time has surpassed expectations and the Republican Party has been unprepared to handle him.
Trump has had many notable controversies, the first of which occurred at his campaign announcement, where he spoke about undocumented immigrants, saying “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume are good people.”
He was the frontrunner going into the first debate, where Megyn Kelly asked him about a series of misogynistic tweets. After the debate, he went on CNN and said that Kelly had “blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.”
One of Trump’s more disturbing revelations came in a recent press conference when he was asked about #blacklivesmatter’s protest of Sen. Bernie Sanders. He responded by saying he would “fight” the activists. When the issue is the Black Lives Matter movement, you cannot miss the mark more than by threatening to retaliate violently.
Clearly this is all reprehensible behavior, especially for someone who’s running for president. Trump has made his brand by being an unapologetic bully, humiliating his critics, then claiming to be a victim of the media. It’s no surprise that this strategy has resonated with the Republican base, for they have historically been attracted to unashamed “truth-tellers.”
Trump had pushback on both his immigration and Megyn Kelly comments. Both times he saw standing in the polls improve, with the latest Fox poll having him at 25 percent. During the debate he was attacked early and often by Sen. Rand Paul. The result? The attacks actually helped improve Trump's numbers, while Paul is no longer in the top 10 of polling, which is significant because he will likely be in the next kids table debate.
When it came to the issue of #blacklivesmatter (BLM), many supporters were ready for BLM to attempt a shutdown of a Trump event. Although there would be a feel-good side to a Trump protest, BLM was smart enough to not take the bait. Any direct attack on Trump only helps him because he has the uncanny ability to win every PR battle.
'The Donald' will be in this race for a long time. About half of republicans will not vote for him under any circumstances, so he has no chance of winning. In the meantime, people and candidates must garner voters’ support by having a message that excludes Trump entirely otherwise he has an adversary that makes his message effective. Don’t add fuel to his fire and enjoy the moments funny moments of his campaign.
