Third party efforts have failed.

Period.

So what are disenfranchised Republicans to do?

The question must be asked, “If you can’t win in a Republican primary, how can you win as a third party candidate in a general election?”  It is a question of strength at the ballot box.  If you don’t have the votes, nothing else matters much.  You are doing little more than making a political statement.

A new, better model for success might be the Trump model.  Just win.

I have had some personal experience with third party efforts.  There are some very good people in that stream.  There are also some serious nut cases.  When some progress might be possible, the nut cases manage to created enough disturbance to destroy any real hope.

My unhappiness has never been with the Republican Party Platform.  Generally speaking, it is rock solid.  The problem has been that we have allowed candidates who do not follow the platform to win elections and pollute the party.  The Party faithful do not pay close enough attention to the departures from Republican principles, so these “unfaithful” elected leaders get a pass and continue to control the Party.  Those who would hold them accountable tend to use tactics and rhetoric that only serves to alienate the “Party faithful”.

Enter Donald J. Trump.

He won a Republican victory, as an outsider.  Third Party advocates can learn a few things from him.

I have come to think that there is only one realistic way to restore Republican principles in governance.  Those ‘leaders’ who do not follow Republican Party Platform Principles have to be replaced with people who will support those principles.  The best chance to accomplish that objective lies within the Republican Party.  Instead of creating Third Parties, effort should be given to creating a powerful caucus that supports the platform principles… WITHIN the Republican Party.

REAL Republicans have to win.

IN the Republican Party.

*** Gordon Howie *** is an author and CEO of Life and Liberty Media

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