The last time I wrote about the emergence of Donald Trump, I received a mixed bag of responses. Some of you agreed and some of you REALLY didn’t agree. But that’s OK. I like it. It gives me something to ponder.

I believe I’ve hinted at my support for Trump more than once over the past few months, but I decided to change things up a bit and tell you the reasons my support is, shall we say, “limited” at this point in time.

Look, whether you love the guy or absolutely despise him, I don’t think anyone can deny the fact he has completely changed presidential elections as we know them. We will look back on this election cycle for many decades to come – I have no doubt about it.

I get it – Trump has said so many outrageous things. From the get-go, he managed to upset so many different groups of people, yet he’s rallied just as many. He’s pointed out gaping flaws in the current administration and has managed to outfox and outplay every one of his opponents thus far.

As of Monday, his poll numbers climbed to an unprecedented new peak.

This guy isn’t going anywhere. This is not a fluke. He’s making moves that veteran pundits and analysts can’t predict or make sense of whatsoever. It’s really quite fascinating.
I’ll admit – while it’s certainly possible he could take the GOP nomination, it’s very difficult for me to visualize Trump winning a general election.

His latest anti-Muslim immigration plan was misguided and turned into what the talking heads on cable news call “bad optics.” I do think he’s on the right track, somewhat – in the sense that we need to shutter the borders until we can get a very firm grasp on the breakdown in our federal vetting process.

However, the way he presented his plan was off-putting for many – including several people I’ve had discussions with about it who otherwise might have given him a chance.

His poll numbers still went up. To say the least, it’s difficult to explain.

I hate to use the word “galvanize,” but that’s exactly what he’s done to so many voters who are sick and tired of politics as usual. His “outsider” status is still quite attractive for many, obviously.

By the time you read this, he’ll surely have done something outrageous in Tuesday’s debate hosted by CNN. But they’ll love every minute of it because, thanks to him, their much-needed ratings skyrocket. And then, it’ll be talked about for another few weeks non-stop, giving him unheard-of levels of interview time (he’s already had more time on the screen than all other candidates combined).

Still, I remain hesitant. How can I honestly back a guy like Trump, who would probably hand the election to the side for which I have no plans of voting for?

Love him or hate him, he’s certainly made politics interesting again.