In a way, Trump is a blessing
Hang on, before you throw tomatoes and knives, hear me out.
The main trick the GOP has used to gain power was the ability to effectively back all sorts of noxious, racist, mammon worshiping evil, then turn to Joe and Mary working class and say "I am really just like you, looking out for your interest against those arrogant suits in New York and Los Angeles." It has been a potent spell, so much that a New England scion like W. turned himself into a Texas Cowboy. Donald Trump does NOT have that ability. Even with one of the largest group of courtiers since the days of European Monarchy, he cannot, will not, even attempt to conceal what he thinks, and MORE importantly, what his FLOCK thinks. Think about the many, many times where if Trump was able to pull back. If he softened up, and played "compassionate conservative", he could very well have put Hillary behind.
He cannot though, and that is our saving grace. Suppose someone like Jon Kasich, or for that , Mike Pence, was the front runner. Both of them are very good at backing some of the more vile, hateful and deadly aspects of the right, but they can pull the "I'm really a reasonable man" nonsense. Do remember John Kasich was someone that yelled at a heckler in the audience ththey would cut social security and we would "get over it"
http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/09/politics/john-kasich-get-over-it-social-security/
Pence, let's not even get into his anti gay and anti abortion platform.
As much as we wish the GOP would send up people like Cruz and Trump who are right out of central casting, we know that is not the case, so part of what saved us is that the GOP, which for years mastered the art of painting demons in clown make up, finally gave in to it's addictions.