Trump cannot be replaced at this point.

[whatthehey]

9. I just don't understand why anyone suggests that possibility

Please tell how dividing the Republican vote will do anything but result in a massive EV landslide for the Dems.

Everywhere that is, say, 55 - 45 R will see that 55 split and the 45 essentially untouched. All you need is for a "Real Republican" candidate to pull 11% of the vote from Trump and the state goes D instead.

Swing states? Even worse. Let's say Trump ekes out OH by a point or two. White knight R comes in and anything he pulls off Trump keeps it in the D column instead.

They need to get votes from Clinton, not from Trump, and splitting the R vote between the loons and the Chamber of Commerce won't do that in any appreciable numbers, but will split the naturally R vote enough to throw any even vaguely close red state to D.

Split the R vote? They MIGHT if they did it perfectly, keep WY WV and OK, and that's it. This is not an election where you need 50%+ to get the EVs. TX going 42 Clinton 32 Trump 26 Cruz won't throw shit to the House other than a 400+ EV margin President Clinton with the best popular vote mandate since Washington.