Interesting results from France's equivalent of state elections. The nativist National Front had the most votes in the first round last month, but didn't get a majority anywhere. However, the FN got shut out in the run-off, with the Socialists winning five regions and the mainstream conservative Republicans winning seven; a centrist coalition won the remaining mainland region. The two LePens, party leader Marine and niece Marion, came the closest, getting 42 and 45% respectively. Nationally, their vote total was 27% in both rounds, so they seem to be no-one's second choice.
27% looks familiar; it's about what The Donald is polling at in the GOP primaries. He's averaging 31% with a solid floor of 27%.
The FN gets the common moniker "far-right" when they are only rightist on immigration and other related issues; they are actually campaigning for more welfare spending, something that hardly cast them as supply-siders. The same can be said of Trump, who talks like a Tea Partier but is more a critter of the left (or at least center) on economic and cultural issues.
A number of polls show Ted Cruz closing in on Trump nationally and leading in Iowa. Trump is leading while we have a cast-of-thousands field, but may not do so for long. Presidential primaries don't have run-offs like France does for their elections, but the field will shrink as the season goes on; then, we might well see Trump stick at a 30% or so level while others sneak past him for a plurality.
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