"All of us ... may have underestimated the anti-establishment mood dramatically"

As the GOP contest moves past Labor Day and summer vacation season, the three erstwhile leaders of the pack have sunk below not only Trump but, in one recent poll, retired brain surgeon Ben Carson and Texas Senator Ted Cruz.  With just five months to go before the first nominating contest in Iowa, and another debate looming next week, the candidates with the most polished resumes and deepest-pocketed backers are all trying to find ways to stage fall comebacks. 

“It does kind of indicate how politics has been turned on its head,” said Vin Weber, a GOP strategist and former congressman who is supporting Bush. “All of us—pundits, journalist, everyone—we may have underestimated the anti-establishment mood dramatically.”…

Despite mounting obstacles, Rubio has stuck to his long-game strategy, opting not to change his script (or policy positions) to adjust to the new Trump-driven dynamic. His campaign has purchased December air time in the states that will host the first four nominating contests early next year. The pro-Rubio super-PAC, Conservative Solutions PAC, has reserved TV ads from late 2015 to early 2016 in the first three nominating states, a person familiar with the purchase said.

Rubio’s bet, according to people familiar with the strategy, is that he has the right blend of conservative positions to win over a cross-section of Republicans, including the tea party, establishment and military hawks, and that the party eventually will see a candidate with a fresh face, a Hispanic name and an up-by-the-bootstraps story as the Republican most likely to succeed against Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.