GOP race’s drama has yet to unfold

By Carmine DiFazio, North Las Vegas

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016 | 2 a.m.

Regarding the column “The GOP rebellion could change the face of politics” (Las Vegas Sun, Jan. 22):

The GOP has three roads to the White House:

• One: the outsider road, Donald Trump and/or Ted Cruz.

• Two: the establishment road,

• Three: a combination of outsider and establishment, John Kasich and/or Marco Rubio. Kasich and Rubio are GOP team players but not the extremes.

There are potholes along the way. Trump has never won an election; he has an unknown electability factor. If Trump fails to finish first in New Hampshire after finishing second in Iowa, he stumbles and falls into South Carolina.

Bush is old, white and stale but has the money and the machine to go the distance — at least until the March 15 primary in Florida. If Bush loses to Rubio in Florida, Bush is done. Kasich and Rubio are the long shots in the race. Gov. Mitt Romney, too, if July’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland is locked and/or brokered. Which is probable. Why?

Under the old Republican National Committee rules, a candidate needed a majority of the delegates from eight states to win the nomination. Under the new rules, a candidate needs a plurality of delegates from five states. The result is that the roads to the White House are gridlocked. An off-road ramp — an old fashioned, smoke-filled-room, floor vote — is the solution. Just like in the good old days. Hold on; it’s going to be an exciting, fun-filled race all the way to the finish line. Unlike the Democrats’ slow-boat to China.