The point is no Republican politician needs to make a decision now — unless, that is, they’re angling for the chance to be Trump’s running mate. The facts on the ground can change between early May and late July. If you’re an out-of-office Republican like Perry or Jindal, a Republican not up for reelection like Scott Walker or Greg Abbott, or even a Republican on the ballot this November like Mike Pence or Kelly Ayotte: What’s the rush?

Why not at least give it a few days or weeks? Why not see where we stand when the dust settles? Why not see if there are better alternatives out there in a month?

Second, any Republican looking farther down the road than this November’s general election should think hard about how they want to be remembered…

Third, when the last vote is counted, more than half of Republican primary voters are likely to have voted for someone other than Donald Trump. That is, more than half of the most engaged and committed party regulars will have voted to reject the man who successfully executed a hostile takeover of the GOP in the face of an inept, divided, fractured, and feckless opposition. Yes, Donald Trump is almost certainly going to be the Republican nominee in 2016 — but that still does not mean that Trump will be the consensus choice of a large majority of Republicans. Whose side do you want to be on? Where is the safest ground? With the 40 to 45 percent of Republicans who are committed Trump supporters? Or the 55 to 60 percent of the skeptics? Put another way, do you want to stand with the discredited and fading old guard of the GOP — the John Boehners, the Mitch McConnells, the Newt Gingrichs, the Chris Christies of the party, who will likely never win another elected office — or a rising new generation of conservatives — Ben Sasse, Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio, Mike Lee — whose future is in front of them?