2016 Postmortem

These Republicans were unable to stop Donald Trump’s nomination. But they’re trying again.
By Ed O'Keefe August 7

Activists who were unable to block Donald Trump's presidential nomination are trying again, this time petitioning the Republican National Committee to call an emergency meeting to strip him of the nod.

Just like the group's months-long fight to stop Trump at the party convention, this latest attempt is likely to be a mostly symbolic act of defiance. Even though Trump is trailing Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in polls, an overwhelming majority of Republicans still support him, and top party leaders are rejecting calls to find a new standard-bearer with fewer than 100 days until Election Day.

And yet, the mere fact that party activists are trying yet again to rid the party of Trump reflects widespread apprehension and mounting opposition to the nominee among Republicans. Current and former GOP lawmakers, former government officials, and top-flight party consultants have said they're leaving the party or will vote for someone else, given Trump's recent wave of words and deeds that have insulted or worried military families, foreign policy experts, Muslims -- even mothers with young crying babies.

Some of the former leaders of the movement that tried using party convention rules to snatch away the nomination and install another candidate said Sunday that they're reaching out to members of the RNC, which includes three representatives from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and territories, asking that they sign a petition calling for an emergency meeting that would lead to Trump's ouster.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/08/07/these-republicans-failed-to-stop-donald-trumps-nomination-now-theyre-trying-again/?utm_term=.400f4795c9