Think of Donald Trump and his campaign for President what you will but be sure to thank him in the coming days/weeks for being the driving force behind the denial of the Republican nomination to Jeb Bush.

If fact, if any one person deserves credit for driving Jeb to drop out of the race, which is very likely in the near future, it is Trump.

Jeb Bush, the brother of one President and the son of another, should have been a shoe-in to win the GOP nomination.  He has a boatload of cash from super wealthy Republican donors. He has the backing of establishment Republicans like [mc_name name=’Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’K000378′ ].  He had the name recognition, the bona fides of having been a governor, and the good fortune of being the favorite candidate of the GOP establishment.

And for all of that what has Jeb gotten himself a mere 100 days before the all important Iowa caucus?

He is polling in the single digits, including in his home state of Florida(Ouch).  His big money donors are maxed out. And all of his supposed strengths have become liabilities in an election cycle where being a permanent part of the political ruling class is likely to get you tossed out on your keister.

As Streiff has written at RedState, Jeb’s campaign is in the dreaded death spiral.  Just like Rick Perry and Scott Walker before him Jeb is doing the things that a campaign about to come to an abrupt end does to ensure its demise.

Jeb has cut his campaign staffs pay, he’s reduced the number of people on his campaign staff, and held a pow-wow with his donors and brother and father in Houston to try and calm the nerves of GOP elites worried that the guy who was supposed to be the next Mitt Romney fending off a challenger of the month but always in first place won’t even make it to Iowa.

You can thank Trump for all of that.

It is Trump who has energized and galvanized the GOP base into souring on the chosen one approach of the GOP establishment causing this to be the year of the outsider.  it is Trump who has soaked up all the media attention, leaving Jeb starved for attention, and opening the door to the other outsiders Dr. Carson and [mc_name name=’Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’C001098′ ], to go after the hearts and minds of voters instead of trying to surmount the Bush juggernaut.

It is Trump who has made supporting amnesty, which Jeb really, really supports, toxic.  Trump even deserves some credit, along with the simple fact that the field is so crowded, for Jeb’s floundering debate performances.

And should Jeb flounder again at Wednesday’s CNBC debate, which he almost certainly will, the days will be few before the headlines and kyron graphics all say “Jeb Says No Mas”.

That will be a great day for conservatives, and in time will be viewed as one of the pivotal saving graces that kept the Republican Party the Party of Reagan and Lincoln and not the Party of Democrats-lite.  And we will have The Donald to thank for it.

After that we can thank Trump for stepping aside from the race himself(in due time) so that the way is clear for [mc_name name=’Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’C001098′ ] to be the 45th President of the United States.

cross posted from USofArn.com