The most unifying move that Governor Kasich could make in the Republican primaries would be to suspend his campaign — immediately. It’s unlikely he will win delegates tomorrow at Arizona and Utah or more than a handful of delegates in the next two contests through mid-April. If he stays in, though, he could yet hobble Senator Cruz, the only candidate remaining who can win sufficient delegates to stop Donald Trump.

It has been a two-man race since last Tuesday, when Mr. Kasich hit the “best-of- times-worst-of-times” barrier, with a big win in his home state and simultaneous mathematical elimination in the overall race. Mr. Kasich needs more delegates (1094) than available in all remaining contests (about 950, according to Real Clear Politics).

Were there doubt about Mr. Kasich’s status, Governor Romney clarified things Friday with his endorsement of Mr. Cruz “in the remaining nominating conventions” and his dismissal of the Ohioan, saying “a vote for Governor Kasich in future contests makes it extremely likely that Trumpism would prevail.” That outcome is anathema to Mr. Romney and most Republicans. In so many words, Mr. Romney branded Mr. Kasich a spoiler.

Mr. Romney is hugely influential with Utah’s 55%-Mormon population. With Mr. Cruz already favored at the Beehive State, Mr. Romney’s endorsement should push the Cruz vote past the 50% trigger for winner-takes-all treatment, giving the Texan all 40 delegates at stake. Even if neither he nor Mr. Trump tops 50% of the vote and Utah delegates are awarded proportionally, Mr. Kasich is still unlikely to meet the 15% threshold to receive a single delegate. But he could keep Mr. Cruz short of 50%.

Either Mr. Trump or Senator Cruz will win 58 delegates in Arizona’s winner-takes-all primary. Governor Kasich will be blanked there too, but his impact could be to convert a narrow Cruz victory into a Trump win. The next contest is a “closed” (Republicans-only) caucus on April 1 at North Dakota. Mr. Cruz has performed very well in states west of the Mississippi, in caucuses and in closed contests, especially combinations such as Iowa and Kansas.

On April 5 comes Wisconsin’s winner-takes-all primary. By that time, the Ohio Governor will have lost badly in three straight contests. If, at present, he has any conceivable chance of finishing first at the Badger State, it will have disappeared after three straight losses. So, no delegates in a fourth contest in a row. Yet, in a close contest in the real two-man race, the Ohioan could throw victory and Wisconsin’s 42 delegates to Mr. Trump.

While he stands virtually no chance of winning delegates himself – and stopping Mr. Trump himself, he could siphon off enough anti-Trump votes from Mr. Cruz that the Texan fails to stop Mr. Trump. Mr. Kasich could have that effect tomorrow, and, then, at North Dakota and Wisconsin and thereafter. In 2000, Ralph Nader siphoned off about 2% of the votes, mostly from Al Gore, who might otherwise have beaten George W. Bush.

With only about 250 fewer delegates than Mr. Trump and almost 300 more than Mr. Kasich, Senator Cruz is the only candidate with a real chance to stand between Mr. Trump and the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination. Unless Mr. Trump is stopped short of that magic number, there won’t be any “open convention,” i.e. the only context in which the Ohioan has any chance of being nominated. So, ironically but inexorably, Governor Kasich’s persistence in the race is classically self-defeating.

If all the remaining contests were proportional, Mr. Trump would have little chance of securing the nomination before the convention. He needs between 530 and 560 more delegates (depending Missouri’s ultimate outcome), or almost 60% of remaining delegates. After 37 contests, Mr. Trump has never won a majority, much less almost two-thirds.

But almost 450 remaining delegates are in winner-takes-all contests, which Mr. Trump can win with a minority of the vote, just as he has to date. He can win the nomination with the support of a minority of the GOP. If, as polls consistently demonstrate, Mr. Trump is viewed unfavorably by a clear majority of Republicans, then he should lose in a two-man race. Unless we have such a race, this reality cannot be made manifest in terms of hard votes, primary victories and delegates for Mr. Cruz.

Moreover, the dynamics of momentum and “inevitability” must also be taken into consideration. The closer that an unimpeded Mr. Trump gets to the nomination, the more voters in remaining states will capitulate to these factors, climbing aboard the “bandwagon” despite their dislike for him or just staying home, thinking opposition to be hopeless. It will become too late to stop him, if it hasn’t already.

If the Governor of Ohio has at heart the genuine interests of the GOP, he will see that stopping Mr. Trump is important and that the best way he can contribute to that effort is by “suspending” his campaign (“suspending,” rather “ending” might enable him to hold onto many of his 143 delegates, preserving an important anti-Trump block vote). This would clear the way for Senator Cruz. True courage is often self-sacrificing.

Mr. Jahncke is president of The Townsend Group Intl, LLC. RTJahncke@Gmail.com. @RedJahncke