Say what you will about Donald Trump, he’s not a go along/get along kinda guy. It must be very frustrating for long time conservative Republicans to march alongside him. He’s not a conservative by the conventional Republican definition.
And yet they (mostly) do.
In this particular election who’s elected president might not be as important as that person’s impact on the Supreme Court. SCOTUS is the 500 pound gorilla in the room.
The court has swung both ways in my lifetime. It’s close to neutral now after the death of Justice Scalia. but it’s been liberal before and conservative most recently.
There’s one seat to fill today and the anticipation more will follow. Justice Kennedy is 80. Three other justices and Kennedy have already served over twenty years. Don’t force me to get morbid.
That 20+ year number also speaks to the molasses like fluidity of SCOTUS changes. The impact of two or three appointees by a single president will guide the court for a generation or more. That’s incredible power. Look at all the court’s weighed in on for the last few decades!
Issue’s like abortion rights, civil rights and Citizen’s United might receive a second look. Courts have done that before.
Right now SCOTUS isn’t a real campaign issue. At some point it will be. Don’t underestimate it’s importance. It will be huge.