So far, the 2016 United States presidential election season has been quite volatile. Both party's establishment candidates have faced trouble from populists who are able to galvanize their base in a much more meaningful faction. In the Republican party, establishment favorites like Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and Chris Christie are floundering in the polls as "outsiders" like Ted Cruz and Donald Trump have dominated the entire race. This leaves Republican strategists with a crucial question. How will the party of small governance, low taxes, fiscal responsibility, etc. combat the apparent xenophobia, nationalism, and populism of an increasingly popular faction.
Speaking of the massive splintering of faction, Senator John McCain of Arizona, who has served in the Senate since 1982, said, "I haven't seen this large of a division in my career."
The party appears to be splitting at the seams. The rank-and-file are disgusted with the current Republican leadership, who they feel have not represented their interests in Congress. Further, many feel their religious liberties and rights to bear arms are under attack. These voters seem to agree that an "outsider," or one who does not come from the Washington bureaucracy, would be better suited to run the country than any establishment candidate. Thus, those who eschew all the trappings of a usual presidential candidate (i.e. Mr. Trump) have earned massive popularity among this frustrated demographic.
"The Republican Party has never done anything for the working man like me, even though we've voted Republican for years," said Leo Martin, a 62-year-old machinist from Newport, New Hampshire., who was in attendance at Mr. Trump's Claremont rally. "This election is the first in my life where we can change what it means to be a Republican."
Popular Republican figure and former presidential nominee Pat Buchanan said, "The chickens have come home to roost. Putting the party back together again will be very hard after this nomination race. I think the party is going to shift against trade and interventionism, and become more nationalist and tribal and more about protecting the border."
