'Nightmare scenario' looms for GOP if it can't get Trump to play by rules: analyst

Reacting to a claim made by Republican National Committee head Ronna McDaniel that she fully expects that Donald Trump will sign and abide by a pledge to support whomever the GOP 2024 presidential nominee is, a CNN political analyst expressed skepticism that anyone in the party would be able to get him to do that.

Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday, the newly reelected McDaniel -- now serving her fourth term -- stated that signing a pledge of support for the eventual winner would be a requirement to be a part of the GOP debates.

Asked by CNN's Dana Bash if she would seriously "block" the former president from participating, the RNC chair laughed it off and said Trump signed a similar pledge in 2016 -- without noting that Trump got the nomination that year so the party loyalty pledge, in that case, was moot.

According to CNN political reporter Stephen Collinson, Trump has a long history of making promises and then turning around and breaking them. Should Trump sign the pledge and then complain he was somehow robbed, he could make life miserable for Republicans as they try to reclaim the White House, hold onto the House, and hand Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) control of his chamber.

"It would be a nightmare scenario for the GOP if Trump were to lose the party’s nominating contest next year but spend the general election railing against the party’s presidential pick. Even small defections among Trump’s devoted grassroots political base could be critical in the kind of swing state races that decided the last two presidential elections," he wrote.

He added, "While requiring debate candidates to sign a pledge to support the nominee would be a show of party unity and would, in effect, be an attempt to box Trump in, it would hardly be enforceable should the ex-president not win the nomination. Given that Trump already falsely claimed the 2020 general election, which he lost fair and square, was marred by voter fraud, it’s hardly far-fetched to believe he may trash any nomination process that he doesn’t win."

He added the GOP already has its hands full dealing with previous Trump fall-out.

"McDaniel may also have a problem beyond Trump, since some possible GOP 2024 contenders have warned that following his role in inciting a mob attack on Congress in one of the most damaging blows to US democracy in modern times, the ex-president is no longer fit to carry the party’s banner or for the presidency," he explained.

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