According to a report from CNN, some senior and influential Republicans want nothing to do with the coming shitstorm.
The party figures, including former presidential candidate and governor Jeb Bush, have no plans to attend the GOP convention in Cleveland.
Asked Tuesday if he'd attend the convention, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush told CNN: "No."
"Unlikely," GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte said when asked if she'd be in Cleveland in the midst of her tough bid for a second term. "I've got a lot of work to do in New Hampshire, I have my own re-election and I'm going to be focusing on my voters in New Hampshire." [...]
"I'm up for re-election," said Sen. Richard Burr, R-North Carolina, who is weighing skipping the convention. "I'm more valuable outside of Cleveland than inside of Cleveland."
Even a co-founder of the Flying Monkey Caucus says he's not going.
Rep. Mick Mulvaney, a co-founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said in an interview with CNN that after discussing his plans with about 20 other conservatives in recent days, roughly half of them agreed with him and have decided not to attend the convention.
"I've decided not to go to Cleveland," Mulvaney said. "I'm going to stay home and work."
It seems to me this only increases the chances of a Donald Trump nomination. There will be a dearth of party elders at the convention who could speak out against Trump or Ted Cruz with any level of authority.
Of course, if they did attend and speak out against Trump, they might be physically assaulted so I can understand why they don't plan to attend.
I feel conflicted because on one hand the threat of violence at a political convention is not a laughing matter, but on the other hand there are buckets of schadenfreude to be consumed here. The Republican convention is going to be a horror show.
I expect there will be a significant number of protesters outside the Democratic convention, but it will be nothing like this. The Democratic party's full slate of celebrity, talent, and elected representation will attend the convention and mercilessly mock the GOP.