Donald Trump won the Republican Primary in Indiana Tuesday evening, all but eviscerating the #NeverTrump movement and moving the New York Businessman tantalizingly close to the Republican nomination for president.
To be clear, Trump has not yet reached the magic number of 1,237 delegates needed to secure the Republican nomination on the first ballot at the Republican National Convention in July. But with upcoming states, especially big delegate states like New Jersey and California, seeming favorable to Trump, it is looking more and more likely that he will win the delegates required.
Ted Cruz, who came in a distant second to Trump, has staked much of his campaign on Indiana. He named Carly Fiorina as his potential running mate, and he spent a lot of time and money in the Hoosier State. It was, ultimately, unsuccessful for the Texas Senator, as Trump is projected to take more than 50% of the vote in Indiana.
Cruz is unlikely to concede the race and suspend his campaign anytime soon, though; given his record on the campaign trail and as a senator, Cruz is, if anything, an obstinate competitor. He will likely continue his push to stop Trump from winning the nomination. Cruz has no path to the nomination on the first ballot, so he will need to find a way to stop Trump from reaching 1,237 delegates and forcing a contested convention, where Trump is unlikely to win.
It isn’t likely to work. It’s now up to the Republican party and the conservative establishment to reckon with the fact that Trump, warts and all, is now their standard bearer.