It's hard to say because I'm not a Republican. So while some of the candidates -- basically everyone other than Vivek...and maybe Pence, but even he's pretty traditional as a pol -- seemed fine to me, I'm not they're target audience, right? With Trump still polling ridiculously high compared to any of the field from the last night, that kinda tells me that none of these people stand a chance. I don't even know what it would take for Trump to lose frontrunner status. I'm not even convinced that him going to jail, if it happens, changes that.

Vivek certainly made a splash and definitely falls in with Trump voters. But then why wouldn't Trump supporters just vote for Trump? Is there really a large enough faction of the party or base that can separate Trump from Trumpism? In that they're done with Trump the person but still want Trump the idea? Idk. And like you said, I can't imagine Trump voters willingly voting for a brown man with a "strange name." We saw how people reacted last time a brown man with a "funny name" was actually elected! At least Nikki Haley is able to pass as a white woman, even though she too shares Vivek's Indian heritage.

I suppose we'll see what happens by the next debate in September. The polling requirements to be at the next debate will increase, so I suspect we'll lose at least a couple from last night. Not that it may matter as long as Trump is the frontrunner by a country mile or two.