>Trump ate them from the inside out and they didnt even feel it coming

Sure they did. Most Republican insiders were castigating Trumpism in 2015/early 2016. Then his cult of personality crescendoed with the braindead zombie masses (and some help from Russian bots) and they felt forced to jump on the wagon or be left behind. Now they are trapped, can't win many R primaries without Trumpism and can't win a general with it.