Has Trump essentially won the Republican nomination?

[Fuzzy Bear]

Yes, Red Neck Republicans have cursed the Republican Party and the nation with this megalomaniac, who believes women are dogs, slobs, fat pigs, and disgusting animals, with this megalomaniac who advocates carpet bombing babies and toddlers, with this megalomaniac who took 24 hours to publicly disavow the endorsement he received from radical racist and KKK leader David Duke, and only disavowed Duke when forced to do so because the media was covering his refusal extensively, with this megalomaniac who believes Mexican men are rapists and murderers, with this megalomaniac who has branded all Muslims as terrorists. 

Yes, Trump is, as of April 26, 2016, for all intents and purposes, the Presidential nominee of the Republican Party.

Trump will now have no problems at all in winning more than 1237 delegates.   

Winnie!  You're alive!  We were worried about you after Tuesday's results came in.

How do you feel knowing that three in five of Republicans in your own state support Trump?  Or, in a room of ten Republicans, you would likely be the only Cruz supporter? 

I view Lincoln Republican as a person who, like the Establishment, grossly misjudged just who, exactly, makes up his political party.

The Trump voters have long been Republicans.  It's just that this year, they voted in primaries in larger numbers than ever before, so while the PARTY hasn't changed much, its PRIMARY DAY ELECTORATE has changed significantly.

[wolfsblood07]

My take on Trump's success is that it's a combination of 2 things.  One is that there is a populist strain in the Republican party that Pat Buchanan tapped into in his campaigns of the 1990s.  The populists really have a gripe now that we've had so many costly wars and we're losing our country to foreigners.  But the other component is Trump and his cult of personality.  That has expanded the populist wing immensely, and is making him almost unbeatable.

[SillyAmerican]

He's the prohibitive favorite, yes, but he'd be a fool if he actually thinks he can act like one, rather than just say it. The math could still work against him, even if he wins in Indiana. Cruz isn't going to give up until Trump clears 1237, and probably not even then. This is a case where I'd seriously say that it's not over until its over.

I'm inclined to agree. This'll go to the convention, but I don't think the balloting goes beyond the first round, with Trump being selected.

[Frodo]

Yes -even if Ted Cruz wins Indiana (which is in question), he is merely staving off the inevitable.