Before the first Republican presidential debate I opined that Donald Trump’s presence as a candidate had made the fight not about who will win the Republican nomination in 2016 but who will actually pick the Republican candidate.

I wrote: “Will a consortium of the mainstream media and its main ally, the Democratic Party, and the establishment wing of the Republican Party pick the Republican nominee, as it has done since George H.W. Bush lost to Bill Clinton?”

Trump’s outspokenness has scared the heck out of not only the other candidates but leaders of the establishment in general. His continued high rating in the polls has not only frightened so-called experts in the mainstream media but has completely baffled them.

That includes pseudo-conservatives.

In a way, however, one cannot blame elite, intellectual members of the press for being fearful, like George Will and David Brooks, who play conservatives on television and radio. They know that if they deviate from establishment doctrine they won’t get to be on television and wax poetic.

Not only that, social invitations would dry up. They wouldn’t get to rub elbows and hinnies with the rich and powerful.

As I noted before the first debate, Donald Trump may not win the Republican nomination, but he has shaken things up.

However, before the second debate Trump seemed to be wavering a bit, including breaking his pledge and promising to support whoever the eventual Republican nominee might be.

Although, it should be noted that Trump’s statement contained a modifier, when he said he would support a candidate if he or she stands for the conservative principles of the party. The way it looks now, it appears that Trump has left the gate safely open to run as a third party candidate, because it is doubtful that a conservative will be the Republican nominee. After all, there hasn’t been one since Ronald Reagan.

Another sign that Trump may be weakening a bit under the constant oppression from the press came during the second debate.

He took to saying a lot of nice things about his opponents, especially toward Job Bush (a nice man) and Carly Fiorina (a nice-looking lady). Trump should note that his niceness didn’t prevent the mainstream media from declaring that Fiorina “won” the debate, Ben Carson a close second.

At present it seems that Fiorina and Carson are the two top favorites of the media.

But Carson and Fiorina should remember what happens when the media’s candidate wins the nomination and is matched against the Democrat. Niceness turns to nastiness, as per when Bob Dole ran against Bill Clinton and John McCain was picked to play a candidate against the majestic Barack Obama.

Perhaps the best way Trump could serve the nation is to help lead a called convention, perhaps in December, with the express purpose of redefining the principles of the Republican Party.

No “reform” of the party, but the formation a party to replace the Republican Party — with core conservative, constitutional principles, and with a new name.

Fiorini may think that, as a female, she can win voters from Hillary Clinton, but she can’t, not as long as she has to call herself a Republican.

Ben Carson may think that because he is 80 percent black he can garner a host of black votes, but he can’t, not as long as he has to wear the label of a Republican.

With the death of the Republican Party and the birth of a conservative, constitutional party, the Democratic Party is likely to also implode, forming a pure liberal, progressive party.

There are some present Republicans and some present Democrats who would fit into the new conservative, constitutional party. There are others (such as moderate Republicans) who would more naturally fit into the liberal, progressive party.

There would be no need for a “Third Party.”

At long last, voters would have a clear choice.

L.E. Brown, Jr. is a writer based in Magnolia, N.C. Contact him at [email protected].