My colleague, Moe Lane, has the wrap-up of the North Dakota delegate count. But to really understand the outcome you have to appreciate the degree to which the Trump campaign was rolled like a skid row wino. In a state where the Trump campaign had been hooting about their dominance, the Trump campaign seems to have come away without a single delegate.

From early on the Trump campaign has been pretty smug about its chances in North Dakota. Back on March 9, North Dakota Congressman Kevin Cramer organized an online straw poll of North Dakotans. The results were pretty much like any Drudge poll you’ve seen involving Donald Trump:

Here are the results released by Cramer (4740 votes cast between Feb. 2 and March 7):

Donald Trump – 1785 votes

Ted Cruz – 1220 votes

Marco Rubio – 818 votes

Ben Carson – 551 votes

John Kasich – 153 votes

Based at least in part on this bogus poll, Cramer endorsed Trump. Then the woofing started:

North Dakota’s lone congressman, Rep. Kevin Cramer (R), is slated to endorse real estate mogul Donald Trump Sunday afternoon as state convention attendees gather to vote on national delegates, who could carry outsize influence if there is a contested GOP convention in July.

Cramer’s endorsement, confirmed to The Post by Trump senior adviser Barry Bennett, follows his efforts to court delegates in the billionaire’s favor.

“It’s a Sherpa role. Obviously Kevin is wildly respected in the state, and he’s been a big help,” said Bennett. “He’s been very valuable to us.”

…
The representative and Ed Brookover, a Trump adviser overseeing convention delegate selection, were reportedly in contact this week regarding delegates. Brookover previously worked on Carson’s presidential campaign.

[Here’s how North Dakota’s Republican convention works]

Bennett, who also previously worked for Carson, said he’s thrilled by the slate of 25 nominated delegates revealed Saturday. The delegates who ultimately attend the national convention will be selected on Sunday by nearly 2,000 “voting attendees” at the state convention.

Though attendees are free to vote for any of the 105 individuals who applied to be delegates, the 25 nominees are heavily favored to win.

Bennett indicated that will favor Trump in a yet-hypothetical contested convention.

“We’re so excited with the slate that came out. It’s a big win for us in North Dakota,” he said. “Ed Brookover and his team have just done an amazing job, and we’re celebrating.”

Keep in mind, that Brookover is the moron who was rolled in Louisiana and in Tennessee. And by this morning the crowing had reached epic proportions:

Former candidate Ben Carson rallied the more than 1,600 state delegates for Trump Sunday morning, with a speech focused heavily on faith and his efforts to teach Trump religion and spirituality. But behind the scenes he lobbied North Dakota Republican brass one-on-one.
…
North Dakota’s lone congressman, Rep. Kevin Cramer, endorsed Trump Sunday, shortly before North Dakota Republicans began selecting the delegates to the national convention.

“It’s something I’d been processing for a long time and it really culminated with my online straw poll where I really did want to give voice to the people who can’t be here,” Cramer said.

…
Trump adviser Barry Bennett told CNN that “a plurality” on the list of 25 preferred were leaning toward Trump after a strong lobbying effort from Cramer, who Bennett called the Trump operation’s “Sherpa” over the course of the hectic weekend.

“We’ll be drinking champagne here all day,” Bennett said, if the slate of 25 delegates picked by party leaders earlier this weekend passes in the convention.

Because rich losers drink champagne. That’s just how they roll.

How did this play out?

Also, correction. It’s 15/25. Not 14/25. The dangers of scratching out delegate math on a legal pad. https://t.co/HwsIEVVxv0

— Jay Cost (@JayCostTWS) April 3, 2016

The top 25 names are the ND delegates pic.twitter.com/Kc1ENrXpP0 — Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) April 3, 2016

Huge win for the Cruz slate at #NDGOP16

— Patrick Ruffini (@PatrickRuffini) April 3, 2016

Only 6 candidates who did not appear on Cruz slate won: Gov Dalrymple, his wife (?), AG Stenehjem, Gary Emineth, John Olson & Kelly Schmidt — Patrick Ruffini (@PatrickRuffini) April 3, 2016

Of remaining delegates Emineth playing footsie with Trump/Kasich, sitting Gov & First Lady, AG, prominent lobbyist & one on neither slate

— Patrick Ruffini (@PatrickRuffini) April 3, 2016

Good find. Wildcard ND delegate who appeared on neither slate was Carly supporter who favorited anti-Trump stuff. https://t.co/1IFrCeKvM5 — Patrick Ruffini (@PatrickRuffini) April 3, 2016

My informal breakdown:

20 Cruz/NeverTrump
2 Gov/First Lady
2 Unknown
1 Trump/Kasich/highest bidder#NDGOP16

— Patrick Ruffini (@PatrickRuffini) April 3, 2016

This leads Patrick Ruffini to ask:

Was literally everything in the Trump campaign’s boasts about North Dakota demonstrably false or just 80%? — Patrick Ruffini (@PatrickRuffini) April 3, 2016

None of these delegates are bound but what is for certain is that Trump has more likely than not been shut completely out in the North Dakota delegate hunt.

This is simply another of the monumental incompetence that has become the hallmark of the Donald Trump campaign. Trump has lived his entire life thinking that talk=results. He claims he the best so he is the best. What he’s discovering is that he is now dealing in a sphere where results count, where they can’t be lied about, and you can’t declare bankruptcy and get a do-over.