Rand Paul. Fiorina and even Pataki! In fact, adding the margin of error Gilmore may be within reach of Christie and at the main debate.
It would be impossible for this poll to be wrong as polls are always right and in fact Alana Wise at Reuters uses it to show Trump has "fallen 12 points" ! Some might say, biased conservatives no doubt, that
"It's a silly poll. It is a IPSOS 5 day tracking poll with ridiculous ups and downs. They are taking the '12 point drop" from a high of over 42% just after Paris to 31% in their latest. 31% is his basic average for weeks. The same poll has Gilmore at 2.5% from nothing!"
But that would be wrong. It's a great day for the GOP Establishment with two surging challengers to Trump.
By guest Editor A.Eritas
The GOP Establishment, and their allies in the media have been living in a combination of fear and frustration as Donald Trump, despite so many predictions, has not only continued to stay in the GOP presidential nomination race but lead it and lead it substantially.
All the usual ploys, threatening to withhold funding, tempting offers of a cabinet post or other position of influence had no effect on the self-funding billionaire who in turn threatened to run as an independent if "not treated fairly."
The Establishment, which couldn't act overtly through fear of Trump bolting and thus dooming the party 's presidential chances in 2016, mounted, through its media allies, a campaign of support for one "acceptable" candidate after another. Variously Governor Walker's and Governor Perry's campaigns not only didn't catch fire and then fizzle they just expired from lack of interest.
Chris Christie and John Kasich, two more Establishment choices struggle to get to 5%.
Perhaps the greatest hope for the Beltway was Carly Fiorina. A "safe option" having a business background and of course being a woman, a possible valuable counter to Hillary. But despite all the media's heavy lifting, their overblown praise of her "outstanding debate performance" and Megyn Kelly having Fiorina as an almost permanent fixture, her campaign has collapsed after a brief flurry.
All the Establishment's eggs seemed to be in Marco Rubio's basket but for all their efforts his campaign seems stalled. The alternative, the forthcoming PAC funded massive media attacks on Trump, are doomed if past history is a guide. What to do?
It looks like, surprisingly, the Establishment has found their man-George Pataki.
Pataki's campaign has been considered quixotic, an afterthought and an odd "vanity" puzzle. Why would a former Governor, with little if any national profile and no backing or major funding, not only run for president but stay in the campaign whilst struggling to get to 1%?
This is where not only Pataki's genius but also the Establishment's comes into view. Clearly the "last Establishment man standing" effect which Pataki surely must have worked out would happen, has worked to his clear sighted advantage.
Staying out of the spotlight and Trump's attacks, whilst ensuring he had no media coverage and showed no personality whatsoever has, in hindsight, provided the Establishment with exactly the sort of candidate they are looking for-safe and sound "Let George do it."
The GOP Establishment and America needs another candidate in the Dole/Romney mold and Pataki is such, in fact even more so. This is not the time for a dynamic, anti-Washington anti-Hillary leader and Pataki's sudden and striking poll rise proves it.
According to the just released Reuters Ipsos poll Pataki has risen some 2,733% in the last week-what other candidate could say that? He is, given the margin of error of 6.1%, possibly ahead of former high flyer Fiorina and less than 1 point behind Rand Paul!
Going from 0.6% on November 23rd to 1.7% today is a massive proportionate leap and a sign surely that the Establishment can now put all their efforts behind Pataki to bring Trump down.
Let George do it by George!
