Is This the End of Never-Trump?

The Never-Trump Republican crowd has a special hatred for House Republicans. Ever since the 2016 election, House Republicans have been the only defenders of President Trump. While a "Russia collusion" investigation hung over Trump's head, these Congressmen took it upon themselves to investigate Trump's investigators—and because of their work, we now know:

1) that the Obama administration's intelligence apparatus wire-tapped Trump Tower, as Trump had opined on the campaign trail;

2) that Peter Strzok, leader of both FBI investigations (into Hillary Clinton's emails and into Russian interference in the 2016 election), was sending text messages saying that he would "stop" Trump from being elected;

3) that Democrats colluded with foreign intelligence operative Christopher Steele to produce the "dossier" upon which the Russian collusion investigation was largely based.

Disaffected neoconservatives like Max Boot and Bill Kristol have spent much of their time in obscurity criticizing Congressmen like Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes for defending Trump. However, now that Democrats are taking control of the House, Never-Trump Republicans will have no one left to criticize but President Trump himself. And, if what Bloomberg reports is true, Robert Mueller might soon wrap up the "collusion" investigation altogether, removing a dark cloud that hung over Trump's first two years in office. What will Never-Trump Republicans do then?

Whatever path the Democrat-controlled House decides to take, Never-Trump Republicans will be in an awkward position. If Democrats decide to work with Trump and pass bipartisan legislation, Never-Trump support of Democrats will look uncommonly silly. If Democrats double down on resisting Trump, the Never-Trump Republicans will be forced to either abandon ship or align themselves with the most radical elements of the Democratic Party. It is one thing to oppose the ignorant plebes in your own party; it is quite another thing to join forces with the ignorant plebes in the opposing party.

Poor Never-Trumpers can't seem to catch a break. After being cast into outer darkness by Trump's 2016 election victory, they carved themselves a niche to inhabit during Trump's reign. Watching from the sidelines, they hoped in vain for a "blue wave" to justify their return to the leadership of the Republican Party. But now even their little niche may be taken from them.