The Republican leadership on Saturday appeared to be bitterly divided on Donald Trump, who is emerging as the party’s presumptive presidential nominee.
The Republican leadership on Saturday appeared to be bitterly divided on Donald Trump, who is emerging as the party’s presumptive presidential nominee.
While a top section of the party’s established leadership openly said that they would not support 69-year-old Trump, the real estate mogul from New York gained more endorsement including the former presidential nominee Bob Dole.
At least two of the former presidential candidates — Jeb Bush and Senator Lindsey Graham — have openly said that they would not support Mr Trump in his race to the White House. But Mr Trump received major boost to his campaign as Rick Perry the former Texas governor endorsed him, so did Bob Dole, the party’s presidential nominee for 1996.
“The voters of our country have turned out in record numbers to support Trump. It is important that their votes be honoured and it is time that we support the party’s presumptive nominee, Donald J. Trump,” Mr Dole said. He said he plans to attend the Cleveland Convention in July where Mr Trump would be formally designated as the party’s presidential nominee.
But two former Republican presidents — George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush — along with the 2008 presidential nominee Senator John McCain have announced that they would not attend the Cleveland convention.
On Thursday, Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan said that he is not ready yet to support Mr Trump.
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee lashed at Mr Ryan for not respecting the verdict of the party’s members.
Meanwhile, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney continued with his anti-Trump drive.
