About a week ago, both Ted Cruz and John Kasich suspended their presidential campaigns, leaving the republican pool with none but Donald Trump to run against the democratic nominee.
Cruz and Kasich had previously attempted to thwart Trump from crossing the 1,237 delegate threshold necessary for winning the republican nomination by strategically campaigning in Indiana and Oregon and New Mexico respectively. When this plan failed to produce effective results, first Kasich and then Cruz abandoned their campaigns.
My question is simply this: what message does this send to the American people?
Earlier this month, Cruz adamantly opposed Trump calling him "a pathological liar," "utterly amoral" and "a bully." Similarly, though he declined from more direct insults, Kasich expressed concern over Trump's inappropriate comments regarding women. Regardless of their direct concerns about Trump, the fact that they teamed up in an attempt to keep Trump out of the White House shows they were more concerned about stopping Trump than with becoming presidential candidates themselves. And, if that is so, why would they both give up?
One of the great American mottos is the importance of persevering in fighting for what you believe in. It's demoralizing to see two public figures back out of that fight. While I understand that both Cruz and Kasich have poured so much into their campaigns with very few positive results, there's something even deeper than politics going on here: the nation is watching.
It appears strange that on Sunday, May 1, both candidates seemed determined to take whatever steps necessary to stop Trump and then, two days later, on May 3, they both stopped running. What happened to their determination and passion? Did they give up on helping America? Because that's what it looks like.
Regardless of what side you take in the election, it's demoralizing to see such passionate leaders lose hope. I realize both Cruz and Kasich had very good, valid reasons for bowing out of the race. However, the timing and circumstances under which the two men announced their decisions sends a very unnerving message: we can't stop Trump, and we're not even going to keep trying. From two men who — mere days earlier — openly schemed against Trump, this seems like a very dramatic loss of hope.
This development leaves America with three potential presidential candidates: Trump, Sanders, and Clinton, with Trump as the only GOP nominee. Frankly, I'm not too impressed by any of them; however, that aside, I believe it is vital to the future of America for us to have hope in the future of our nation. I believe that we, as a people, must never give up on working towards what we believe is right, whether that be legislative, social, or personal. That is what makes America great: the freedom to fight for what we hope to become reality.
So why, Mr. Cruz, did you leave the campaign? Did you really lose hope or was it merely a logistical necessity? We know you were the second behind Trump. We know the numbers didn't look promising. But you did inspire us for that time because the world could see you working with passion towards something you believed in your being to be completely necessary. I thank you for that. I know you don't have to become president to change America. Keep pursuing one hope after the other and know this: You're already making America great.
