The GOP primary is already decided. We’re just pretending it isn’t

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. For all the focus on Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz in the 2016 GOP primary, polls rightly predicted Donald Trump would become the nominee, while Mr Sanders’s insurgent run only delayed the inevitable of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 nomination. The survey showed that despite conservatives wanting a horse race between Mr Trump and Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, 54 per cent of likely Republican voters support the former president compared to 17 per cent who say they support Mr DeSantis. In addition, while much has been made of Mr DeSantis’s supposed strength with college-educated voters, 40 per cent of likely Republican voters who have at least a bachelor’s degree support Mr Trump, with only 23 per cent supporting Mr DeSantis. Furthermore, as much as Republicans like former congressman Will Hurd warn that Mr Trump will lose to President Joe Biden, 40 per cent of voters say that “able to beat Joe Biden” describes Mr Trump much better, and 18 per cent say it describes the former president “somewhat better.” These numbers are nearly insurmountable.