Donald Trump Signs Pledge Not to Run as Independent, Support Republican Nominee

What Did The Donald Have to Lose, Anyway?

Donald Trump holds up a signed pledge during a press conference at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Thursday. (PHOTO: LUCAS JACKSON/REUTERS)

Donald Trump announced Thursday he has signed a GOP pledge not to run as an independent in 2016, after a personal appeal from the Republican Party chairman.

“I have signed the pledge. I just wanted fairness from the Republican Party,” Trump said during a press conference while holding up the paper. “I will be totally pledging my allegiance to the Republican Party, and the conservative principles for which it stands.”

The party pledge, which was followed by similar efforts in Virginia and South Carolina, states in part that if the GOP contender does not become the nominee: “I will endorse the 2016 Republican presidential nominee regardless of who it is,” and “I will not seek to run as an independent or write-in candidate nor will I seek or accept the nomination for president of any other party.”

Pledges were either signed or commitments were given to do so by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; Ohio Gov. John Kasich; former New York Gov. George Pataki; former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush; former HP CEO Carly Fiorina; retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson; Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

According to the PPD average of national Republican nomination polls, Trump is the clear frontrunner for the nomination and has been since July. In a recent Gravis Marketing Poll the real estate mogul broke 40%, while the most recent ABC News/Washington Post Poll shows him above 30%.