Who will the GOP Establishment circle upon?

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Rubio is still my best guess. My biggest worry, though, is the establishment aiding and abetting Trump hoping he will lose the general so they can destroy the populist right (Tea Party) voters with whom Trump has associated himself (although he isn't philosophically a Tea Party guy at all). The establishment has plenty to fear from the growing power of right-wing populism and the anti-crony-capitalism stances of the Tea Party.

In terms of who they'll actually support, though, I think they'd prefer someone left of Rubio, but there's not a clear choice to the left of Rubio, and they know the grassroots will under no circumstances support anyone further left than Rubio unless it is Trump (and Rubio is already a hard sell).

Assuming they don't go for Trump, then, I'd say it almost has to be Rubio or Cruz, barring a surprising finish by Kasich or Bush in New Hampshire.