The Republican race for the nomination at one time included seventeen candidates and they subdivided the votes so completely that large segments of the Republican party are disappointed, disaffected and disgruntled – but perhaps the most certain way to bring the fractured party together is the prospect of a Hillary Clinton presidency. Donald Trump himself may not be capable of reuniting the party, but Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee might do so. That remains to be seen, but before those defeated Republican challengers are forgotten, let's speculate what may have happened if there had been only sixteen candidates for the party’s nomination – not seventeen.
Mr. Trump said and did many things that gave supporters of the other candidates ample reason to dislike him, but he is the one who gained support as others dropped out and their voters flocked to him.
Both parties are likely to have nominees who will have a harder time winning the general election than they had winning the nomination. Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton are disliked and distrusted by high numbers of people. It remains to be seen who will win the election, but it may prove that the most compelling reason to vote for Mr. Trump is that he is not Hillary Clinton and the most compelling reason to vote for Hillary Clinton is that she is not Donald Trump.