Trump lost and R's lost the Senate, yet R's near-universally conclude they need him. Why? They're not wrong exactly. Trump's leverage isn't so much his ability to grow the GOP, it's that he could *destroy* them if he wanted and not think twice about doing so. It always has been. https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1390482019738521600

Graham is correct that Trump brings millions of people to the GOP who are loyal to him and him alone. He also repels millions more. What Graham is hinting at, but not saying is that Trump -- unique among R leaders -- is willing to tell his voters to stay home or go third party.

Trump's lack of loyalty to the GOP has been one of his biggest strengths since the start. Many in the party would have loved to expel him in 2015 when they feared he hurt the brand. But he was threatening to run as an Independent -- and they believed him. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-unwilling-rule-out-independent-run-n405621

One of the most quoted phrases in politics is LBJ saying he'd rather have a rival inside the tent pissing out than outside pissing in. That's not the issue for R's with Trump. He's going No. 1 in the tent. The choice is letting him do it or him going Samson on the tentpoles.

Trump's danger to the party if he goes rogue is *not* the same thing as Rs fearing primaries. Graham just won re-election, it's not an issue. He's a party man who thinks a lot about the GOP's overall health and his conclusion is Trump has his finger on the button to blow it up.