Crisis Averted? Trump Rules Out Third Party Run UPDATE: Uh, Not Really

Matt Vespa | July 23, 2015 8:30 AM

UPDATE: Trump: Actually, if the RNC isn't "fair" to me, a third party run is in the cards. Yet, as Ed puts it, "Trump’s most likely pulling the media’s chain and giving it a juicy narrative just for the sake of its juiciness. That’s a pretty good description of the whole Trump 2016 phenomenon, just as it was of the Trump 2012 phenomenon."

And the clown show continues...

**Original Post**

Yesterday, on The Blaze’s "Dana," 2016 Republican presidential nominee and business magnate Donald Trump told the eponymous host Dana Loesch that he’s not considering an independent run. Instead, he wants to focus on winning the GOP nomination, and–in some LSD-laced universe–the general election.

“I only want to run as a Republican; I want to win. Because that’s the only way we’re going to win. The best way, if I get it, I will win. I’ll get the Hispanic vote. Believe me; I’m going to win, and we’re going to take jobs back from China. We’re going to make the country great. And that’s what I want to do. That being said, I will tell you so many people want me to run as an independent, but my total focus is to run as a Republican and to win.

Earlier this month, some publications have been speculating on Trump running as a third party candidate–and now we have an answer. The Donald isn’t going to go that route, which would only end with Hillary Rodham Clinton taking the presidential oath of office in January of 2017. He’s going to focus on winning the GOP nomination because he’s leading in the polls. Meanwhile, the Bush people are tentatively happy since a Trump third party candidacy would have killed him in the general, and ushered the Clintons back into the White House.

Yet, Trump is inconsistent with his politics. In fact, he’s a disaster. If there’s any reason why we should be suspicious of party turncoats, Trump provides classic examples. The man is pro-life, but was pro-choice. He supports the Second Amendment, except that he once backed a ban on assault weapons. He’s called for the repeal of Obamacare, though he once backed the universal health care. Given his track record on policy, maybe it’s not inconceivable that he’ll run as a third party candidate once his little circus has run its course.

It’s a moment that hopefully comes sooner rather than later. For now, let’s take tentative satisfaction that Mr. Trump has denied he’s interested in a third party run, which would only help Hillary and the Democrats.