Graphic by Sana Amin/The Gazelle

Why is a real estate mogul and reality show star leading in the U.S. American Republican primary? The short answer: why not? The real question: who can stop him?

Donald Trump is the result of a power vacuum within the Republican Party. In the past, powerful establishment leaders like John Boehner and Eric Cantor could control the party and keep only moderate candidates in the field. Now, party leadership, besides comparing more favorably to the Tea Party, simply has less legitimacy.

Even if the leadership was just as centrist as it had been in years past, the fact that leaders within the GOP have been increasing victims of regicide has diluted incentives of supporting party opinions and lowered the cost of defection. The Tea Party, besides moving the Republican Party right, has delegitimized Republican leadership and given a political opening to Trump.

Additionally, as Trump himself said, he “can’t be bought.” Unlike other presidential candidates who are dependent on campaign contributions for victory, Trump’s personal fortune has the ability to sustain his campaign for far longer than any of the other candidates in the field.

Trump is insulated from potential attempts by large donors to kill his presidential run because he does not need their money to continue. Governor Scott Walker’s withdrawal last month underscores the potential vulnerabilities of being subject to other’s financial largess.

In any nuanced discussion of merits, Trump is a ridiculous candidate. He has zero experience in government — federal, state or local. He called Mexican immigrants to the United States “rapists;” he has implied that a major news anchor was aggressive in questioning him because she was menstruating; and he said John McCain, who is no longer able to raise his arms due to past torture, is not a war hero because he was captured.

And finally, for all his hyperbolic self-endorsements of knowledge, Trump has only three official platform opinions: Tax Reform, Second Amendment Rights and Immigration Reform. Alas, to think presidential popularity polls depend on legitimate metrics and general decorum is a fundamental misunderstanding of American politics. Trump remains woefully unqualified.

In the end, Trump is not the only senseless Republican running for the American Presidency — Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina also qualify in that regard. Also, as Ted Cruz has proven, Trump’s rhetoric is not alive only among total political outsiders. All things considered, Donald Trump’s candidacy is not inconceivable in today’s political climate. His timing and financial status have been critical leverage at a chaotic time in American history. We have only the system to blame, because for all his failings, Trump is still “killing everybody.”