As a British person, this US election is fascinating to follow, seems like there is serious upheaval in the political landscape.
The Republican candidates have changed their tune so much in the last decade, they seem to have gone so far to the right.
My question is though, how can any of these Republicans actually become President given that they have isolated so many voters with their extremely conservative stances? I mean surely they will not get much of the black vote or Hispanic vote?
The funny thing is, if they had a more center-Right candidate who was a likeable guy surely this election would be for the taking given the unpopularity of Clinton, and Sanders being too far left.
It seems with Rubio, Cruz and Trump they try to out-conservative each other over who is toughest on immigration, abortion, military, and healthcare etc. When I listen to speeches from Reagan, one of the most popular Republicans ever, he comes across as a nice guy, full of optimism about the US. Listening to these current candidates they make it out that the US today is worse than living in Syria. Seems to be an extremely negative campaign period, filled with nastiness and in-fighting. I wonder if at some stage Trump will take a swing at Cruz at a debate lol.
My politics are generally conservative so this is not a liberal rant against Republicans, my question simply is can you guys over there actually see them winning enough states to become President?

Man NS, you are really on it and following closely.

It's all a show and No, they cannot win.

The entire process is rigged and The clintons already bought and dealt themselves another election.

Yeah Dues, been watching closely, I just cannot see anything other than a Clinton win, Fox news will go into melt-down over another 4 years of Democrats lol.

Nick, there's a long way to go. However, at this point, Republicans have to figure out how to close the 332 to 206 Electoral College vote gap of the 2012 election. I don't see that happening.

There have been some subtle changes in some state's voting laws such as in Ohio that could affect turnout. Also, republicans have gained more governorships since 2012.

Nicky, what we've been seeing has been skewed by the TV debates. With so many candidates, and so little time for each, there's no room for thoughtful discussion of real issues. Instead, it's a reality show, with each trying to make the maximum (usually meaning radical) impression in 30 or 60 seconds. (One of the reasons Trump is ahead is that he's the only GOP candidate with reality-show experience.) So, they keep pushing each other farther and farther to the right--no on gets points by saying, "I'm a moderate."

The same is happening on the Dem side. Clinton and Sanders pack the audience with their own supporters, and each accuses the other of not being "progressive" (meaning left-wing).

Presidential elections are won from the center of the electorage, not from the far left or far right. Goldwater ('64) and McGovern ('72) proved it. A Gallup poll in 2010 found that 31% of Americans identified as Democrats, 29% as Republicans, and 38% as independents. A 2013 Gallup poll put the number of independents at 42%. We haven't really heard from the American center yet.

The Republicans have tried the center Right thing twice already and lost. Mc Cain and Romney were considered by almost everyone to be super moderate and not very conservative.
But then everyone has their own idea of what a "real conservative" is and what it actually means to be "far" right.
When people say that, I always ask, what does that mean exactly? It could be something different for different candidates.
Donald Trump isn't philosophically a conservative. But on some issues, like immigration he's obviously very right wing.

But as for this "we need a more center right guy" idea, it's been tried and done many times on every level of government and its been a complete failure. That's why nobody wants Jeb Bush. What's the real difference between Jeb Bush and Hilary Clinton? Not much.
People are sick of the same old politics and establishment politicians especially people who vote on the Right.

You're better off losing an election anyway than winning and getting some moderate guy who breaks every campaign promise and stands for nothing what so ever.

Obama should not have won a second term because he did nothing to help the economy.

2016 neither democrat is talking about the economy.

So yes the Republicans will win the presidency because of the economy. Thrump has a chance because he has more to offer to help the economy.

The immigration is second and safety are next.

Republicans offer more on those other 2 also.

kids like the socialist idea because free stuff sounds good to them. Plus their teachers make it sound fantastic.

On sanders little do nations I believe that is bullshit. You can take a one person donation and make it look like 100 thousand small donations. That is a fact.