What’s an office without a little competition?
Somewhere between Marco Rubio’s caucus win in Minnesota and Donald Trump’s primary win in Michigan, Resch Strategies office exploded in a fit of friendly ribbing and prognostication.
Trump was racking up the delegates and the writing was on the wall. He was going to be the eventual presidential nominee of the Republican Party.
Just nine months earlier, when the strip club mogul descended a gold-plated escalator before a throng of paid actors to announce his candidacy, the pundits and the pollsters echoed the hopes and dreams of sane people everywhere—his candidacy was a publicity stunt, a shtick, and there was no chance on God’s green Earth a thrice-married, serial misogynist, life-long New York liberal would become the standard bearer for the Party of Lincoln.
The Donald has taken conventional wisdom - along with every other kind - and slowly, brutally beaten it to death ever since.
Repeatedly promising to murder unarmed women and children in an effort to deter terrorism. Habitually and passionately defending Planned Parenthood. Tacitly embracing the Ku Klux Klan. Menstruation insults. Bragging about the size of his junk.
Hardly Solomonic. But I digress.
Joe Becsey, the #TrumpTrain’s engineer-in-residence here at Resch Strategies, enthusiastically cautioned that fateful March afternoon, that Trump may not just win the nomination—he might beat the odds again and win the White House.
“#NeverTrump,” I cried. “And no chance.”
The bet was born. Lunch at the downtown Lansing restaurant of the winner’s choice. And because I felt bad literally stealing Joe’s lunch, I offered to make things a little more interesting.
“When the dust settles on November 9th, Donald Trump won’t have secured 150 electoral votes.”
The dry-erase map is hung. Orange (because, obviously) and blue markers stand at the ready.
We’ve already given Trump West Virginia (coal miners) and Alabama (confederate flags). Fourteen down and 136 electoral votes to go.
In an election year with easily the bleakest presidential options in the history of our nation, at the end of the day, at least somebody in this office will be eating well.
--Nick