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Mattis tight-lipped on plans to run for president
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Failure of either candidate to reach 1270 electoral votes could lead to third-party threat
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Mattis gaining rapidly growing following and support from celebrity endorsements
Gen. James Mattis has become a rallying point for a group of Republicans who are unwilling to settle with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz or front-runner Donald Trump, as potential Republican Party nominees. Mattis, a retired U.S Marine Corps General, has become a fan-favorite among Republicans who are becoming tired of Trumps unique charisma or flat-out fearful of his foreign policy.
The plan to get Mattis elected as commander-in-chief is as straight-forward as it is convoluted. At this point, there is no hope of Mattis becoming a Republican Party nominee. Despite this obstacle there is a well-funded, and well-planned, course of action to see the General become Ppresident of the United States. The campaign focuses on neither the Republican or Democratic nominee securing the 270 electoral votes needed to win the general election.
Mattis supporters would focus their efforts on swing states that have republican tendencies, hoping to draw enough electoral votes from those states to prevent any potential candidate from attaining enough votes to become the victor. If no delegate receives 270 votes the U.S. House of Representatives would be entrusted with selecting the next leader of the United States. The house is currently controlled by the GOP and many Mattis supporters believe he would be a “shoe-in” should the decision come down to Trump, Clinton and Mattis.
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John Noonan is a former supporter of Jeb Bush’s failed presidential campaign from earlier this year, and is currently one of Mattis’ most outspoken supporters. In an interview with Military Times Noonan stated:
“All bets are off this election cycle. We shouldn’t be embarrassed to allow the American people a good choice for president.”
Noonan views Mattis as the most qualified person for the job in this unconventional election cycle; a cycle where american politics have been completely upended on both ends of the spectrum, an election cycle where front-runners for both parties have been “compromised”. He views this as the most realistic opportunity for a third-party candidate to be a serious threat in what has generally been a two-party election.
Mattis has yet to make a recent public statement declaring his desire to run for President but he has not ruled it out.
In the past he has vowed to leave politics to “younger people” and has even rejected the idea when asked about it earlier this year during a speech at Columbia Basin College in Washington state earlier this year. Despite showing little interest in the position the general has gained a cult-like following, specifically among service members due to his 34-year military career. This career has given Mattis a proven track record as a successful and stoic leader and a leader that Americans can proudly call their Commander-In-Chief.
Noonan hopes Mattis will be embraced as a modern-day Dwight Eisenhower for both his military career and his experience in overseas policies. He was a man of character during his career in the military and was widely respected by all his men. Noonan, among others, hopes this will develop into a stern, yet reasonable foreign policy that will:
“Demonstrate to the world, there is no better friend, no worse enemy, than a U.s. marine”
There are less than half a dozen Republican primaries between now and the end of April, including large-stakes states like New York and Pennsylvania. By the end of the month it may be clear whether or not Trump will have the Republican nomination in the bag, and whether or not Mattis supporters will need to start their work.
