Rich, how crowded a field do you anticipate? And how does it shrink quickly enough? The Democrats really were able to push out Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar at a decisive moment and make room for the candidate who polled best against Trump. What possible force in the Republican Party could do that to Bill Lee, Brian Kemp, or Chris Christie? And if there is no such force, what mechanism should be built in the future to arbitrate between factions and restrain the rise of candidates that are hazardous to the party?

Everyone is focused on the fact that “Trumpy” candidates have lost. But none of them were Trump, and nobody should have expected his magic touch to be transferrable. Don Bolduc and Dr. Oz don’t have luxury hotels and golf courses named after them all over the world; Trump does.

And Trump has a lock on what I would call the “No, never. F*** all of you,” vote. In a way, Trump’s symbolism outweighs even Trump’s own stated positions and evident passions. Trump is personally a moderate on LGBT issues. But voting for Trump somehow remains a vote against the Establishment that supports the expansion of the LGBTQIA+ agenda. If, deep down, you think the American project is headed in the wrong direction, Trump is probably still your man.

And do you think that beating Trump is a kamikaze mission for the party? I don’t see Trump trying to launch a third-party spoiler bid. But it seems plausible that he would attack the Republican nominee from the sidelines the way he attacked Brian Kemp in Georgia. The sudden media blackout on Trump would lift instantly if his role was dealing memorable putdowns of DeSantis on Morning Joe.