The Ignorance and Arrogance of the GOP Establishment.

No, TRUMP Did not Destroy the GOP, but The Republican Establishment may have. 

Donald Trump is now the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party for President.  John Kasich has dropped out and Ted Cruz has suspended his campaign, which is political vernacular for “dropped out”. 
 
Early in this election cycle, the establishment made the mistake of backing candidates such as Jeb Bush, Kasich, and Chris Christie.  If they had been paying attention to poll numbers, and to what Republican voters were saying, they would have known these choices were not acceptable with the voter base.

Somehow, the donors and elder politicians who run the party insisted on endorsing and donating to candidates who would not be accepted by the base.  When these candidates all eventually failed, it was too late for the party establishment to ensure the nomination of a compromise candidate they found acceptable, like Rubio. 

Cruz became the establishment pick to stop Trump, but it was too little too late because Trump being nominated seemed to become more likely by the day. The problem for Cruz is that his best days were already behind him when the establishment jumped ship from Rubio to him.

I think it was a combination of both ignorance and arrogance on the part of the party leaders.  In my opinion, their only choice at this point is to suck it up and jump on the Trump bandwagon, give him their full support and try to get him elected.   To do anything else guarantees another ultra liberal Democrat in the White House for at least four more years, and likely eight.  That would most likely give birth to a new party and spell the end of the GOP.