In late 2014 while still pondering a possible presidential run, former Florida Gov.
Jeb Bush famously stated that Republicans must be willing to "lose the primary to win the general without violating your principles."
Conservatives immediately pounced on the statement, discerning that Bush was saying that the party should not appeal to them during the primary process in order to lure more independents in the fall.
Bush did later enter the race, and the statement has dogged him since. But despite his massive fundraising and presumably employing the strategy, Bush's campaign has struggled.
Not so front-runner Donald Trump, even though his latest strategy appears to be reaching out to Democrats, radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh says.
Limbaugh first speculated
on Monday's show that Trump was really reaching out to South Carolina Democrats in Saturday's debate
when he slammed President George W. Bush's handling of terrorism and praised Planned Parenthood – except on abortion. In South Carolina's open primary process, people who normally vote for Democrats are allowed to vote in the GOP primary.
On Tuesday's show Limbaugh noted that
The Wall Street Journal is backing up his theory in a story headlined, "Donald Trump Makes Pitch to Democrats in South Carolina."
"Now, isn't it fascinating, because let me ask you a little pop quiz," Limbaugh said. "Who, in the Republican primary, started out by claiming happily and joyfully that he was gonna win the Republican nomination without the base? …
"Jeb Bush and the donor class were gonna win this nomination despite the base. Remember this, now? And isn't it fascinating that the guy who's actually trying to pull that off and may have some success at it is Donald Trump?"
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