The Associated Press claims it's all over but the crying:

After months of predicting a comeback for their preferred candidates, Republican establishment leaders now concede the first two contests of the presidential race, in Iowa and New Hampshire early next month, are Donald Trump's and Ted Cruz's to lose.

That leaves many GOP traditionalists, who fear each candidate would be a disaster in the November general election, pinning their White House hopes on a feat no Republican has pulled off in modern political history: securing the nomination without winning at least one of the first two states on the calendar.

Not surprising that the two Republican "boots on the ground" voters the AP found to interview are both over 70, and each of them has a wish list for the Republican field. In the words of Karen Whitham, a 72-year-old from West Des Moines, Iowa, "Some of them should just drop out."

Having depended on Fox News and Rush Limbaugh to keep their base angry, fact-free, and devoid of reason, calling upon that same group of voters to all of a sudden "be reasonable" and vote for an establishment candidate? How's that working out for you, Reince?