By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Republican leaders are reportedly meeting on Monday to weigh their options for the November election after dozens of prominent party members pulled their support of Donald Trump for president over the release of recordings in which Trump made lewd comments about women.
Retired Illinois State University political science professor Bob Bradley told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin, Trump can’t be removed from the ballot as voting has already started in more than a dozen states.
He also told Laughlin, the party establishment could try to get vice presidential nominee Mike Pence to quit as Trump’s running mate.
PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Bradley on WJBC.
“If that happens that would be very interesting because Pence is sort of the link between Trump and the GOP,” Bradley said.
Pence has said reports that he was considering leaving the ticket are ‘absolutely false.’
Bradley added the controversy of the recordings may have inadvertently been fueled by Trump himself in a tweet he posted last week telling followers to ‘check out the sex tape and past’ of a former Miss Universe.
“That triggered the media to start doing some investigating, wondering ‘Why don’t we do that a little more broadly and see if he was involved in anything,’ ” Bradley said.
“This probably wouldn’t have come out if it wasn’t for that late morning tweet that he did.”
Bradley said many of Trump’s supporters won’t be turned off because he has built a following by speaking his mind.
“One of the things you hear Trump supporters say generally as to why they are attracted to him is that he speaks honestly,” Bradley said. “He speaks what’s in his heart, he’s not filtered by what has been called political correctness.”
Bradley predicted this election could have record low turnout because Trump and Hillary Clinton are disliked by so many.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
