Donald Trump so unpopular even President Bush isn't backing him

Trump has the de-facto nomination but lacks heavyweight GOP backers

Trump lacks the support of former Republican presidents (Getty)

The only two surviving former Republican presidents have made it clear they will not help Donald Trump in his bid for the White House.

The exit of Ted Cruz and John Kasich from the race to be the party’s nominee cemented Mr Trump's remarkable triumph launching him toward a likely battle with Hillary Clinton.

And while some Republican leaders began reluctantly rallying around Mr Trump, others have been openly critical of the billionaire businessman.

And in a significant move, the last two Republicans to occupy the Oval Office — President George H.W. Bush and President George W. Bush — made clear they would not be helping Trump win the White House.

“President George W Bush does not plan to participate in or comment on the presidential campaign,” a spokesman for the former president told the Guardian. A statement released on behalf of George HW Bush said: At age 91, President Bush is retired from politics. He naturally did a few things to help Jeb, but those were the ‘exceptions that proved the rule’.”

Mr Trump's challenge in uniting Republicans is abundantly clear. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a frosty statement saying he had committed to backing the GOP nominee and noting Trump's "obligation" to bring the party together.

A first-time candidate, Mr Trump has eschewed traditional fundraising and relied more on his own star power than television advertising to draw attention. He flouted political decorum with controversial statements about women and minorities, leaving some Republicans convinced he won't be able to cobble together the diverse coalition needed to win the general election.

"It's his party between now and November, but I don't think it's going to be his party after November," said Peter Wehner, a former adviser to President George W. Bush. Wehner is among the Republicans vowing to never vote for Trump, even if that means essentially handing Clinton the presidency.

Bob Vander Plaats, an influential evangelical leader who backed Cruz, withheld his support on Wednesday, saying the real estate mogul needs to prove his conservative credentials with his vice presidential pick and more information about what kind of judges he would appoint. "It's kind of a wait-and-see moment with Mr Trump," he said.

Vander Plaats and a handful of other Republicans are clinging to the hope that an alternative option might yet emerge. Operatives have floated former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse and former Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn as possible candidates for a third-party or independent bid. But that is a long shot at best, with filing deadlines for getting on state ballots fast approaching.

There was notable silence from House Speaker Paul Ryan, who has spoken critically of Trump. Aides to both Ryan and McConnell said the Republican leaders had not spoken with Trump since his Indiana victory.

A spokesman for George W. Bush said the former president "does not plan to participate in or comment on the presidential campaign." And a spokesman for Bush's father said simply, "At age 91, President Bush is retired from politics."

Still, several GOP governors and senators said they would support Trump, according to a survey by The Associated Press.

"Our first and foremost goal is to elect a conservative, pro-business, strong on national defence, a man who will stand behind our freedoms and our rights, and that person is Donald Trump," Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said. "It is not Hillary Clinton."

Clinton has yet to shake Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the democratic socialist who has energized young people and liberals with his calls for sweeping government-run health care and education programs. Still, Clinton has 93 per cent of the delegates she needs to clinch the Democratic nomination and now is focusing her attention on Trump.

"He is a loose cannon and loose cannons tend to misfire," Clinton said.

Both Clinton and Trump head into the general election with historically high unfavourable ratings. But Clinton is generally popular within her own party, particularly with women and minority voters who are crucial to winning general election battleground states like Florida, Colorado and Nevada.

Some Republicans fear Trump's poor standing with those voters will not only cost the party the White House for a third straight term but the GOP's Senate majority as well. Some Republican senators in tough races struggled Wednesday to position themselves in a party with Trump at the helm. One, New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, said that while she would support him in the election, she would not endorse his candidacy.

Trump turned quickly to the general election, saying he's planning to work with the Republican National Committee to fundraise, a departure from his largely self-funded primary campaign. "We're going to try over $1 billion, which is what's going to be necessary," he told NBC. He also said he was starting to vet potential running mates.

He later said he could consider Kasich, predicting the Ohio governor would be helpful this fall in any role given his state's significance in the general election.

Associated Press