Donald Trump is in the presidential race to stay. Period.
Sunday, he suggested that if his poll numbers dropped sharply, he wouldn’t stay in the Republican race. That triggered speculation that Trump, who’s been the party’s presidential front-runner for weeks, didn’t relish the kind of intense campaign combat needed to win. His leads have shrunk in some cases in recent weeks, as retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and former business executive Carly Fiorina have gained.
Forget the idea I’m even thinking of quitting, Trump told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Friday.
“I was with Chuck Todd who was very good and, you know, I did ‘Meet the Press,’ and he said, ‘Well, would you get out?’’’ Trump recalled. Todd hosts the Sunday morning NBC program.
“And I made the statement that, well, you know, if I could see I wasn't going to win and if my numbers were really terrible and you wouldn't call, if I saw it wasn't going to happen, of course, I would,” Trump said Friday. “The next headline is Trump is considering getting out of there. It was ridiculous.
“So, you know what I say right now, I give more of a political answer. I’m never getting out.”
David Lightman: 202-383-6101, @lightmandavid