With the release Friday of a tape featuring Donald Trump making disparaging remarks about women, including bragging about sexual predatory conduct, an avalanche of Republican leaders are disowning their presidential candidate. This includes his own running mate, Mike Pence, who canceled a campaign appearance Saturday. It's gettin' ugly out there. In fact a host of GOP leaders are calling for Trump to withdraw and hand the nomination to Pence. After the Indiana governor's breakout performance (at least as far as conservatives are concerned) at the VP debate, they see him as a much more rational, sane, and — most importantly — presidential choice. They see him, in short, as a savior.
And perhaps he will prove to be. But it is not at all clear what would happen if Donald Trump stepped aside. It has never happened before. Theoretically the Republican National Committee could hand the nomination to anyone they chose, but in practice the process has been a democratic one in modern times. If Trump steps aside look for Ted Cruz to make an argument that he is the next logical successor, as the one who received the second-most delegates in the primaries. But something tells me that ain't gonna fly. Still, at the very least it would be a legal quagmire, and would most likely take weeks to work out.
Still, it seems likely that the nomination would go to Pence if Trump stepped aside, which, at the moment, he is vowing vociferously not to do. It is the simplest solution and, crucially, the fastest. The election is only a month away, and they would want Pence to assume the nomination in time for the third presidential debate.
This election just keeps getting better and better.