In Kasich, the GOP still has a reasonable alternative to Trump

With Tuesday's wins, Donald Trump now has more than half of the delegates he needs to become his party's standard-bearer in November.

Think about that.

The new face of the Republican Party would be the man who has vowed to deport 11 million people, ban Muslims, and waterboard "and worse" terrorism suspects; who could start a trade war with our second-largest trading partner, China, and would demand that our third-largest trading partner, Mexico, pay for a massive wall between our two nations.

Meanwhile, party leaders have stood by in a self-imposed neutral zone as Trump wields his unique blend of bluster, bullying, and a stunning command of crowd and media manipulation to easily eclipse his rivals. Even typically responsible elected officials have been cowed into mumbling that they will "support the nominee," though most cannot bring themselves to utter the most likely name.

There is an alternative, however — one who would not embarrass his party, who understands the complexities of governing, and who has demonstrated his capacity both for standing his ground and for reaching compromise. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, in a last-ditch bid for survival in this race, campaigned earlier this week on a new slogan: "Fight the darkness." That's a good summation of the Republican task at hand. Trump not only would badly tarnish what's left of the party of Lincoln, he represents a genuine danger to peace at home and good relations abroad.

Kasich is the two-term governor of a large swing state with deep experience in Washington from nearly two decades in Congress, including a stint as budget chairman. He does not have the flashy, strongman image of Trump. That's a major point in his favor. He's also a lifelong Republican — unlike Trump, who has crossed every ideological boundary in his pursuit of wealth and power.

Developments reached a new low Wednesday, with Trump's ominous warning that attempts to deprive him of the nomination on the convention floor this July could result in riots. A spokesman was quick to say that the candidate was speaking "metaphorically." But having witnessed the behavior at his rallies, can anyone doubt that an eruption of violence by his supporters is a distinct possibility? Party leaders should act now to affirm the validity of their convention process and signal that if no one comes in with the needed number of delegates, the selection process begins afresh, on the convention floor.

That has not been the role of recent conventions, which more typically give a final stamp to a well-established presumptive nominee. But they have been called on, in years past, to play a much more vital function, to save a party from going off the rails, to avert a disastrous choice and to select a candidate who can uphold their platform and be an asset to downballot candidates. This July, Republicans should exercise long-dormant muscles and be unafraid to perform a similar function.