I was wrong. I couldn't see it happening. Not in a million years. I read the stacks of commentary, the credible polls and the less-so. Veteran pundits with decades of campaign experience condemned Donald Trump's chances and I inhaled their wisdom, deep.
When he launched his campaign at a New York hotel and allegedly used paid actors to clap and cheer, I figured he wouldn't last more than a few weeks. When he pledged to build a border wall, accused Mexicans of being rapists and criminals, fell out with Univision, NBC and - surely not - Fox News, I was convinced each blow would be fatal.
When I properly appreciated Trump was riding an unprecedented surge of anger and fear, and even when I had attended his events and experienced the fervour first hand, I still thought he couldn't last.
Yessir, I was wrong. It's reasonable to consider Trump the favourite to win the Republican nomination for US President.
In many respects, the Republican Party, whose core Trump only vaguely represents, has itself to blame. Much of the public's anger stems from the increasingly partisan divide in federal politics and high-profile Republicans' refusals to co-operate with Democrat lawmakers. People are annoyed.
