This story was originally published on nationaljournal.com on April 4, 2016 Republican pros fall into two categories: The optimists are deeply concerned, while the pessimists are despondent. Among GOP operatives around Capitol Hill, who see Donald Trump as the likely if not inevitable Republican nominee, there is fear that mainstream Republicans will stay home in large numbers. This would cost down-ballot GOP candidates considerable support from the party faithful, never mind what they might have picked up from independents, who gave Mitt Romney a 5-point edge in a general election he lost by 4 points. Republicans who see Trump coming up short of 1,237 delegates, triggering a contested convention, worry that the party will be badly divided going into the November general election. If Ted Cruz is the nominee, some Republican politicos believe it would be a disaster. Others are jittery but are not convinced that he would be a weak nominee who would cost the GOP a bunch of seats. Official Washington’s antipathy toward Cruz is so pervasive that dispassionate analysis is hard to find. The polling I’m seeing
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