Bombs and synagogue slaughter ruined Republican momentum, says Trump

Donald Trump never knows when to keep away from his now-familiar political jabs. After the killing of 11 Jewish worshippers at a synagogue in Pittsburgh and the 13 or so explosive pipe bombs sent in the mail to Democratic VIPs, Trump just couldn't resist pointing out that these incidents had taken the momentum away from the Republican party's surge for votes in the midterm election campaign. On the face of it that's a pretty cynical remark. He did go on to say that the protection of the American people had to come first but he sounded like he resented it. But this is Trump. He says what he says because that is how he is. There is no question that the terrible events took all the main headlines and so the focus was swept away from the midterm elections. So Trump was right but he was wrong to mention it. Not that he would care about that. The remark and the bombs and shootings will probably have little effect on the midterm results. I think most people who plan to vote next Tuesday will have already decided who they wish to put their mark against in the ballot box. As a well-to-do American woman on BBC said the other evening, she intended to vote the way she had always voted which was Republican, but she was careful to avoid saying she was a supporter of Trump. But she and her husband beside her made it clear they were Republicans and obviously nothing Trump has said or done since he came to power in January 2017 is going to change that tradition. This couple I am sure represent pretty well every Republican, if not every Republican in the US. None of them are going to switch to the Democrats just because Trump is an outspoken, highly controversial sort of guy. In fact that's why most of them will be more than happy to vote the way they have voted since they reached voting age.