Trump refuses pledge not to run as 3rd party candidate

The first debate among Republicans running for the White House in 2016 put to rest speculation that billionaire businessman Donald Trump would moderate his harsh denouncement of America's politicians. He used the opening moments of the faceoff with nine other candidates to refuse to rule out running as an independent.
     
Should he do that, Trump likely would split the Republican vote, making it more likely that Democrat frontrunner Hillary Rodham Clinton would win, giving her party a third straight term in in the White House.
     
Trump was at center stage because he has run up a considerable polling lead among the 17 Republicans running for the nomination. He was the only one of 10 candidates in the main debate August 6 night to raise his hand when the Fox News hosts asked who would not pledge to support the eventual party nominee.
     
"I will not make the pledge," he said.
     
Trump, who brushed aside questions about his public denigration of women and said he had done nothing but used American laws when four of his companies took bankruptcy, put to rest speculation he would tone down his rhetoric.
     
Trump's refusal to take the pledge enraged Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who said Trump was "already hedging his bets because he's used to buying politicians."
     
Through the remainder of the debate, the candidates made little news, choosing instead to use their time in the two-hour session to repeat already well-known positions.
     
But Trump stood out for his willingness to stand behind many of his past statements that many expected would be ruinous to his campaign. Instead he has risen quickly in the polls to become the front-runner.
     
Fifteen months from the election, Trump...