News Analysis: Trump fervor could fade, but that could take a while

Billionaire mogul Donald Trump' s bid to clinch the White House is still gaining much media attention, but some analysts are saying the controversial Republican candidate could fade out of the spotlight, although that could take some time.

Trump burst onto the U.S. political scene a couple of months ago, making a national splash with a spate of controversial statements but gaining the widespread admiration of an ardent fan base of mostly anti-establishment conservatives.

Trump again elicited controversy in last week's Republican Party (GOP) primary debate, when he said he would run as an independent candidate if he failed to get the nomination, causing many Republicans to fret that such a move would split the GOP vote and hand the White House to likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

"I think Trump's performance (in the debate) might've been where his momentum begins to fade away," Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua.

"The fact that he was unwilling to rule out running as an independent rankles a lot of conservatives who want to focus on defeating Hillary. Also the (debate) moderators focused on highlighting the inconsistencies in his political record--e.g. his support for single-payer health care, contributions to Democrats, etc," he said.

Indeed, Trump's political views a few years back were more in line with those of Democrats, such as his support for health care systems criticized by Republicans and his political contributions to Democratic candidates.

"I think that Trump failed to demonstrate how he could be a GOP statesman, and the conservative electorate may begin to see Trump as a sideshow more than a viable candidate for president," Mahaffee said.

Trump is making a name for himself in the political arena as the anti-establishment candidate, eschewing political correctness and branding himself a right-leaning populist, especially on the hot-button issue of immigration.

Trump said that, if elected president, he would build a massive wall to keep out illegal immigrants from south of the border, in a statement that drew applause from his admirers but was blasted by others.

Analysts did not expect him to last this long, nor did they expect him to grab first place in the polls, ahead of more than a dozen GOP candidates, even the well-funded former Florida Governor Jeb Bush brother of former President George W. Bush the establishment pick who early on was expected to grab the Republican nomination.

While many analysts expect Trump to fade out, they say that could take some time.

"This could last for several months more," Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, told Xinhua.

Indeed, if Trump sticks around too long, that could damage the GOP brand at a time when the party is trying to re-vamp its image to appeal to women and minorities, as the party is viewed as one of older white men at a time when the country is becoming much more multi-cultural and single women are a sought-after voting block for candidates.

"He brings out the most controversial images that...can harm the party nationally," Zelizer said.

Most Republican leaders don't want Trump to run against likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, as they believe he wouldn't stand a chance against her. In the Real Clear Politics poll average, Clinton trounces Trump in a head-to-head match-up by nearly 15 points.

Still, it is clear that he resonates with a certain brand of voter.

"I think the Trump style of speaking directly and without regard to political correctness has resonated with a segment of the conservative electorate that increasingly distrusts professional politicians and their inability to reverse a sense in the public that America is no longer on the right track," Mahaffee said.

Trump' main virtue right now is his ability to stand out in crowded field. He will be in the top three candidates as long as he can hold 15 percent of the vote. However, as the field narrows, it will be difficult for him to rise beyond where he is right now, experts said. Endite