Donald Trump’s three GOP rivals said Sunday that it is getting more difficult for them to justify saying they would support the real estate mogul if he wins the Republican presidential nomination.
“I think if Donald is the nominee, I think it is a disaster,” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said on ABC’s “This Week.” “I mean, it’s a disaster for Republicans, for conservatives. I think it’s a disaster for the country because if Donald is the nominee, it makes it much, much more likely that [Democratic candidate] Hillary Clinton wills the general.”
Ohio Gov. John Kasich said “it’s really tough” to continue justifying the statement that he would support Mr. Trump.
“I said in the debate when they asked if I would support him, I said yes. But sometimes it’s really tough,” he said. “But nothing is 100 percent. I mean, I’d like, I hope, to be able to support whoever the nominee is, but I have to tell you, I don’t think he’s going to be the nominee.”
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio argued Sunday that most Republicans would rather abstain from voting in the general election than vote for Mr. Trump.
“The more important question is how about the millions and millions of other people around the country who have already said if Donald Trump is the nominee, they’re just not voting?” he said. “They just won’t vote? No Republican can win with that many people locked in saying I’m not going to vote for our nominee.”
Mr. Trump has had a meteoric rise to become the Republican front-runner for the nomination, but has been under scrutiny for allegations of inciting his supporters to violence.
• Anjali Shastry can be reached at ashastry@washingtontimes.com.
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