What's the most likely thing that would have prevented Trump from being the GOP Nominee in 2016?

[Blue3]

What's the most likely thing that would have prevented Trump from being the GOP Nominee in 2016?

[darklordoftech]

A lot of things could have. Hillary wins in 2008, Romney wins in 2012, no Gang of 8 bill, less candidates splitting the anti-Trump vote, ranked choice voting in the primaries, other candidates use better attacks on Trump, the Access Hollywood tape comes out earlier, etc.

[Blue3]

A lot of things could have. Hillary wins in 2008, Romney wins in 2012, no Gang of 8 bill, less candidates splitting the anti-Trump vote, ranked choice voting in the primaries, other candidates use better attacks on Trump, the Access Hollywood tape comes out earlier, etc.

I'm talking about 2016 specifically.

And what another candidate running could have said or done, or the media or the RNC.

[darklordoftech]

Certainly if Jeb and all but one of Trump’s other main opponents dropped out, Trump probably wouldn’t have been nominated.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

An alternative with charisma and at least the ability to fake sincerity.

[NewYorkExpress]

Russia deciding another candidate was better horse to back.

[Bootes Void]

tell the establishment to pick one candidate to support and tell everyone else to drop out so there isnt a split primary

[Samof94]

Romney could run.

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

The combined anti-establishment (Trump, Cruz, and Carson) vote was almost 73%. So why do people think an establishment candidate could’ve beaten Trump one on one?

A Cruz vs. Trump matchup one-on-one would’ve been the best chance.

[MATTROSE94]

Probably only if Hillary Clinton won in 2008, John McCain won in 2008, or if Mitt Romney won in 2012. Going back even further, Donald Trump likely would not have run in 2016 if Richard Nixon won in 1960, Gerald Ford won in 1976, Michael Dukakis won in 1988, Al Gore won in 2000, or if John Kerry won in 2004.

[Benjamin Frank]

Had the media taken Trump seriously at first and not given him all the free air time, and then had they held him to the same standard that they held those who were elected and had records to.

It took the media months to finally dig in to Trump's false claim that he opposed the Iraq War, for instance.

[President Johnson]

I always felt he would not have been the nominee if the field was less fractured. If they field shrunk much faster and agreed on one major candidate, Trump may have been stopped.

[StateBoiler]

A combination of national media platforms not treating him differently from every other major Republican candidate running (the national media did everything they could to literally crown him the nominee, so I don't want to hear sh**t from them decrying Trump and his effects on this country) and the Republicans not being so fractured that they take a page from this year's Democrats who for once showed the shadowy power of being organized and united that the Republicans were always known for historically by getting everyone to drop out in their bid to get rid of Sanders.

The Republican National Committee prior to the 2024 cycle starting should also put in place new bylaws to ensure there's never an 18-candidate field ever again. (Democrats ditto.) If they want to keep it, then winner take all pluralities should be what disappears.

With hindsight, I think a lot more of Scott Walker for seeing what the gig was, or in politician terms "knowing how to count", and getting out early just realizing it wasn't his year. Imagine if Jeb could've seen that. Pretty much every Republican that ran in 2016 could not count.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Trump being the Reform Party nominee in 2000 would certainly have done it.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Trump being the Reform Party nominee in 2000 would certainly have done it.

Because the 22nd Amendment would render him ineligible?

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Trump being the Reform Party nominee in 2000 would certainly have done it.

Because the 22nd Amendment would render him ineligible?

The implication of this take is so hot that it constitutes arson.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Trump being the Reform Party nominee in 2000 would certainly have done it.

Because the 22nd Amendment would render him ineligible?

The implication of this take is so hot that it constitutes arson.

Then my work here is done.