MOSCOW, July 20. /TASS/. The rivalry of Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump as two contenders for US presidency is actually a contest between the well-off part of America and those who are discontent with developments in the country, a senior Russian lawmaker said on Wednesday.

Alexei Pushkov, chairman of the International Affairs Committee in the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, said that Trump’s official nomination from the Republican Party was evidence of deep shifts in the American society, which was entering a period of high unpredictability.

"The nomination of Trump as a single candidate from the Republicans confirms that exceptionally deep shifts are taking place in the American society," Pushkov told TASS.

A year ago, "everyone was saying that Trump hadn’t the slightest chance as he lacked political correctness, held non-standard positions and was posing a challenge to the traditional republican elite."

"These elite tried to organize a plot against Trump but it failed and now the Republican Party has nominated Trump as its presidential candidate. This shows that the world and the United States have entered an area of high unpredictability," the Russian parliamentarian said.

"What seemed as impossible a year ago has become possible now," he added.

The Russian lawmaker also said that "the rivalry between Trump and Hillary Clinton will be a contest between discontented and well-off America, between America that wants serious changes, including in foreign policy, and America that is indifferent to what is happening beyond the external perimeter of the American borders."

"Hillary Clinton is highly likely to continue the policy of George Bush and Barack Obama in the external world while Trump will probably make some corrections," the Russian lawmaker said.

"I believe that the contest between dissatisfied and angered America and well-off and indifferent America will become a distinctive feature of the upcoming elections," the head of the State Duma International Affairs Committee said.

"This won’t be a competition between the two parties as compared to the previous standoff between Obama and [Republican candidate at the 2012 presidential election] Mitt Romney or between Obama and [candidate at the 2008 presidential elections John] McCain. This will be a competition of two sentiments - the sentiment of the part of America that wants substantial changes both in the system of governance and in decisions made, and the part of America that is more or less content," the Russian parliamentarian said.

"This outcome is largely crucial for the nature of international relations in the second decade of the 21st century," Pushkov said.

Billionaire Donald Trump and Governor Mike Pence of Indiana have been officially endorsed as the candidates from the Republican Party for the posts of the US president and vice-president, correspondingly.

A decision on their nomination was approved on Tuesday evening by delegates of the Republican Party’s National Convention in Cleveland (Ohio).