Nomination Picture Clearing Up?

As the Super Tuesday primaries—which generally serve as a final nail in the coffin for all but the most competitive Presidential candidates—draw nearer, the Presidential nomination race that was once highly convoluted has begun to clear. Saturday’s results from the Democrats in Nevada and the Republicans in South Carolina served to confirm what many already felt was coming. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, of the Democrats and GOP respectively, each won large victories in the two early primary states as they look to collect a critical mass of voting delegates before the nominating conventions this summer.

Perhaps the most surprising results of Saturday’s voting, however, was not the winners but instead those bringing up the rear. Jeb Bush, who as early as the fall of 2014 had been predicted to win the Republican nomination off name alone, officially suspended his campaign Saturday evening even before all the South Carolina delegates had been tallied. In this unconventional election season, where the electorate seems not to be seeking the experience and political ties that Bush offered, Jeb was harmed by his family name and Trump-promoted notions that he was ‘low energy’. Many of his top campaign contributors and endorsers are expected to begin supporting Marco Rubio.

Bernie Sanders’ campaign also took an unexpected hit on Saturday. While early polling suggested that Sanders would either come extremely close or actually take the caucus from Clinton, Hillary’s lead by the end of the night extended to six percentage points. It’s important to note that Sanders still defied early expectations of his performance in the state, but Sanders’ inability to win voters in a state somewhat demographically representative of the entire U.S. may signal the downfall of his unlikely campaign.

While Hillary Clinton’s nomination, much like Jeb Bush’s predicted coronation, was predicted from the beginning of the Democratic race, Donald Trump’s rise to legitimacy was a surprise even the sharpest of pundits couldn’t see coming. While on both sides there is clearly anti-establishment sentiment and fervor, it is Donald Trump—not Sanders—who has truly made history as the candidate that could radically change the country, for better or for worse.