This is precisely as I said a week ago:
From having seen how Republicans have behaved in the past, my guess is that they will remember him as being "too moderate" and "not a true Conservative." They will say that "he failed to seize power, I don't like people who fail to seize power, I like people who successfully seize power."
And so they will in the future support someone even worse, crazier, and more dangerous.
Over the next 2-4 years, I fear this will become the standard GOP line regarding Trump.
