Annnnnnnnd, back to the Topic....
No, the GOP does not have to rely on Donald Trump. It already doesn't. Youngkin, while accepting Trump's endorsement to get going, did not run on Trump. McAwful did and look where that got him...A posh job in the Sloe Joe Administration.
Trump is providing the gasoline, and candidates for the GOP have been spraying it out pretty effectively. ICYMI, that's the definition of a "Kingmaker." That will do nicely for me.