A prediction after the election...

[Kablooie]

The Trump followers are still fanatically behind him even after all the scandals.
It seems the main unifying factor is fear and hatred of people different from themselves and this overrides every other issue. The Trump campaign has brought all these previously cloistered feelings out in the open and they are beginning to flaunt them as something to be proud of.

The GOP establishment knows these sentiments are death to a political party so many are rejecting them but in the process are alienating these people who have become their base.

So, assuming Trump loses, (Extremely likely but not 100% inevitable yet.), will these people then fall back in line with the Republican leaders? Trump has allowed them freedom to express their prejudices and I don't think they will want to go back to closeting them again.

It's now clear that the Republican leadership rejects these views so the only way to continue to express them would be to form a new party independent of the Republicans. The main difficulty with this is the same as with the Tea Party, a leader is needed to keep things together but if Trump wants to keep his adoring fans, he could remain as the leader of the Trump party and work towards becoming an actual force in American politics. (God forbid) Of course this means a large portion of the Republican base leaves the Republican party which would turn the GOP into a limping ghost of itself.

This Trump phenomenon has been so volatile that I don't expect politics to settle back into it's old comfortable patterns afterwards. It could change the face of American politics permanently.

[Paula Sims]

1. I'm truly worried about this but not from the Republican establishment

I'm worried from the perspectives of the supporters.

Stay safe people in Red States. It's going to be one heck of a ride.

[RDANGELO]

2. I think it is more likely the other way around.

The establishment will form a new party, leaving the trump wing with the Republican Party. They would be able to get the big donors to finance it. They would advocate trickle down free trade economics and strong on National defense, but less harsh on the social issues.

[socialist_n_TN]

3. Yep that's what I think will happen too......

And I also think that once the Republicans split, the Dems will also split relatively quickly after the Repubs do. After a few years we'll wind up with an actual left party, and establishment party like you described, and the right wing/proto-fascist party. I'm convinced this will wind up being a fundamental realignment in American politics.

[Cosmocat]

4. It depends on what trump does

If he actively culls these people or not.