Who is trumping whom?

This week was a head spinning rush of Republicans trying to sort out how they would deal with Donald Trump.

St. Petersburg, Fl
Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Author: In Search of Robin

If you ever had, any doubts about how two-faced politics are you saw it play out this week.

Some of the most vocal Trump opponents started to walk back their positions and some of the most adamant like Mitt Romney and the Bushes trying everything possible they can think of to get Trump on the defensive.

It didn't seem to work.

Paul Ryan tried to out trump Trump with an outlandish no support position followed up with a meeting with the presumed nominee. Everyone came away smiling, but if I were Trump, I would ask Ryan to step down as convention chair.

Assuming Trump wins the Presidency a new speaker of the House would be in order. That would depend on the Republican House: not the most courageous group on Capitol Hill.

For now, Trump will play nice, but once the nomination is in hand the slick haired smiling congressional members who work more for their self-interest than ours, better be on guard.  

Trump will be expecting more than lip service from elected Republicans and there will be little patience for those who try to operate with one foot on each side of the line.

The Republican Party is at a major crossroad, and the next few months may well determine the Party's long-term future.

Locally, down ballot candidates find themselves in a quandary not knowing which way the County, State or National committees may go.

For now expect most local Republicans to maintain a low profile on the presumptive nominee until he actually becomes the Republican standard bearer.

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Disclosures:
Contributor: Bob Gualtieri for Pinellas County Sheriff