Despite the weakness of the candidates in this year's 'clown car', whoever wins the Republican nomination has a good chance of becoming the next president.

This has more to do with voting patterns than with the strengths or weaknesses of the candidate. For the past 70 years, since the election of Eisenhower in 1952, we have had 8 years of Republicans followed by 8 years of Democrats, with only two exceptions (Carter and Bush #1).

It was this pattern that gave the presidency to a weak candidate (Bush II) over a strong candidate (Gore). We may see the same thing happen next year with Hillary, the odds on favorite, losing to Trump or Carson or Rubio or Cruz. (I don't think that anyone else really has a chance).

The republican field, measured, and properly DISSED:

One of the 10 Republicans who debated Wednesday night is going to end up as the party’s nominee. None of them looked like presidential material.

That theme was sounded early on, when Ohio Gov. John Kasich swatted away the first question — what is your biggest weakness? — by addressing the larger weakness of the field: “My great concern is that we are on the verge, perhaps, of picking someone who cannot do this job.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/this-worrisome-gop-race/2015/10/30/aac5f768-7f28-11e5-b575-d8dcfedb4ea1_story.html