Outgoing Allegheny Co. Republican Committee Chair Weighs In On Romney-Trump Feud
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Outgoing chairman of the Republican Committee of Allegheny County says Mitt Romney's criticism of front-runner Donald Trump shows the battle going on right now in the Republican Party.
Romney, a former presidential candidate, unleashed a verbal attack on Trump on Thursday: "Here's what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud," said Romney. "He's playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat!"
Trump, of course, fired back calling Romney "a light-weight" and a "choke artist."
"Mitt is a failed candidate. He failed. He failed horribly," said Trump.
Jim Roddey says Romney is not alone in his criticism of Trump.
"I think he was speaking for a lot of people, a lot of establishment Republicans who have that frustration with Donald Trump," said Roddey, whose resignation from the Republican Committee becomes effective on Friday.
Roddey says of Trump: "He hasn't said how he's going to do any of these things. He just makes these wild statements."
KDKA's David Highfield asked: "Do you think if he becomes the nominee, can he win against Hillary?"
Roddey: "I think it will be difficult."
Highfield: "Would you vote for him if he became the nominee?"
Roddey: "I don't know. It would be difficult for me, but I don't like Hillary, and I don't think she would be a good president."
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Finally, he says a scenario is possible where no Republican candidate, including Trump, may have enough delegates to get the nomination.
In which case, Roddey says the candidate might actually be chosen at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July rather than the nominee being a foregone conclusion before the convention, as is the case most election cycles.
"It's possible certainly that we could go to Cleveland and decide the candidates there," Roddey said.
Roddey, by the way, has endorsed Marco Rubio in the race.