国际英语新闻:Republicans Struggle With Reality of Trump Nomination

WASHINGTON—The long battle for the Republican presidential nomination has now ended, settling on a new leader of the Republican Party: Donald Trump.

Republicans nationwide reacted with a mix of disbelief, anger and grudging acceptance Wednesday, revealing a party that may have a new leader but whose future will be unclear until after the general election this November.   

The first signs the party would not immediately unite behind Trump as the nominee emerged Tuesday night, when Texas Senator Ted Cruz dropped out of the race following a resounding loss to Trump in the Indiana primary.

A number of conservative bloggers and party operatives, including former John McCain aide Mark Salter – many of whom had been a part of the unsuccessful Never Trump movement – took to social media to openly declare they would not support Trump, and some even took the uNPRecedented step of pledging to vote for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton using the hashtag #ImWithHer.

“The idea of mainstream or even fairly conservative Republicans coming out to support a Clinton for the presidency is kind of mind-blowing,” said John Hudak, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution.

Clinton - a divisive political figure and a lightning rod for conservative criticism over the past two decades – is a highly unlikely figure to attract any kind of Republican support.

“It really puts into perspective how desperate and how angry and how disgusted many elements of the Republican Party are with Trump,” Hudak said.

With the concession of Cruz and reports Wednesday that Ohio Governor John Kasich would suspend his campaign, Trump will become the first party leader in more than six decades not to have held political office.

“We want to bring unity to the Republican Party,” Trump said in his victory speech Tuesday.  “We have to bring unity.  It's so much easier if we have it.” Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus followed by tweeting a message of support intended to solidify a party splintered by the Trump win. 

High stakes in House and Senate

The choice between Trump and Clinton could drive away many long-time conservative voters as well as Independents, said Hudak.

“What happens when Republicans in those states start voting Democrat?  It tells you that maybe Clinton won’t win those states but Republicans are going to have to spend a lot of money in those states and that’s a fast way to win election,” he said.  

Now the choice for establishment Republicans and party elders may come down to a matter of tone and political finesse.  Hudak said many will hold their nose and vote for Trump to sustain party unity while refraining from the kind of outright campaigning that would show support for Trump’s ideas and his vision for the presidency.