Presumptive losers

The general election for president of the United States has essentially begun.

Hillary Clinton has won the race for the Democratic nomination against Bernie Sanders. Tuesday, in the last of the Super Tuesdays, Clinton won four states, including California.

This puts her pledged delegate count well above that necessary to be nominated as the party’s candidate. Without question, she is the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Bernie Sanders cannot claim any chance for the nomination or even a brokered convention. Hillary has him beaten even if he woos most of the Super Delegates away from her.

On the Republican side, Donald Trump has soundly beaten all comers. He has been the Republican presumptive candidate for weeks. John Kasich and Ted Cruz dropped out shortly after trying to double team him. Since then, he is gaining support from Republican elites who swore they would never support him.

All the claims for surprises, mystery candidates and spoilers have failed to materialize.

That is except for one. The Libertarian Party is making its presence felt. Gary Johnson is the Libertarian Party’s candidate for president. Since being nominated by his party, he has become more visible and is trying to draw voters from both parties. The Libertarian party advocates social liberalism and fiscal conservatism.

At this point Johnson can be called the presumptive spoiler, but he is not well known and does not have the resources to take on the other presumptives. Still, this is a very strange year.

Aside from Johnson, the path to the White House for Clinton and Trump is clear: It is to utterly destroy the credibility of the other.

It promises to be a brutal, ugly campaign. It will be a win-at-any-cost campaign. The net effect of all this: Two of the most unpopular candidates are running for president, and we are the presumptive losers.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher