I'm not so sure Trump isn't going to be affected by tonight. I'm sure he will retain his core, that 33% or so. But I can't remember another debate where he was assaulted like this, and it's bleeding obvious he doesn't actually know anything. I appreciate that he essentially gives voice to, 1) racist white identity politics, and, 2) people who think that politicians are sacks of shit. But a middle finger only goes so far. At a certain point, at least some voters aren't going to want to trust him with the nuclear codes. They may think, "well, this has been fun, but that's enough." My sense is that this is happening with the Dems, albeit in a far more constructive, positive way. There are establishment politics for a reason. Certainly it has its downsides, but it also provides stability. Clinton has co-opted Sanders, like a white girl with hip-hop. But that's how it's supposed to work. He won because he got her to change and drift to the left. She had to in order to win. Sounds like representational democracy to me.
But, I dunno. We'll see how he responds tomorrow. That's been his brilliance -- how he counterpunches via co-opting the news cycle by starting a Twitter feud with the Pope or calling Bill Clinton a rapist.
The rules haven't applied to him until now, because he isn't a politician. But now that he's the front runner, it might all catch up to him.
It will be interesting to see.