Donald Trump

Donald John Trump announced his candidacy for Republican presidential nomination on 16th June 2015, the day after Jeb Bush. It was widely assumed that Jeb would become the party's eventual nominee. Jeb had a big event to announce that he was running and Trump destroyed his early momentum. Initially, no one dreamed that Donald would become the nominee. He was just a real estate mogul and TV personality, with no real political experience whatsoever. He had also made large contributions to the political campaigns of various Democrats, including the Clintons. Trump made several highly controversial remarks early on. For example, when he announced his candidacy, he said of Mexican immigrants, "They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." Many thought that such a statement would bring him crashing down, but no, lo and behold, "the Donald" kept climbing in the polls all the way to the top. In another instance, he criticized Arizona senator and 2008 Republican nominee John McCain, well known as a war hero. Trump said "He's not a war hero. He is a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured." Again everyone thought Trump's campaign would suffer but he just kept rising. Many wonder what Trump's secret is. Why didn't his political incorrectness kill him early on? This is the wrong question. In fact, it is precisely because of this incorrectness that Trump is enjoying such a great lead on his opponents. Barack Hussein Obama is a Democrat and not a very moderate one. He passed his highly controversial healthcare bill with only slim majorities in the House and the Senate. Republicans hoped to steal a second term of the presidency from the disastrous Obama in 2012. However, Mitt Romney, the party's nominee failed to achieve that goal. Republicans were furious at the apparent failures of the party leadership and began electing young and inexperienced "Tea Party" hotheads for high-ranking positions, left, right and centre. Donald now had the perfect opportunity. He decided to run on the "angry vote", which was now booming in the Republican Party. He justified his barbaric words by criticizing the "political correctness" of the so-called party elite. Millions of Republicans were already deeply disappointed with the party establishment and saw hope in Donald Trump. Now the billionaire businessman is well on his way to the Republican nomination for 2016. At first, there were 16 candidates to challenge Trump, now only two remain. Ohio Governor John Kasich is so far behind in delegates that it is no longer mathematically possible for him to win the nomination in a regular party convention. Texas Senator Ted Cruz is so extremist that many find it hard to believe he has any more of a chance than Trump in a general election. This is the state the Republican party finds itself in. Donald Trump is likely to be the nominee in 2016. Welcome to the topsy-turvy world of American Politics. Enjoy the ride.