Imagine a prosecutor with unlimited resources, a mandate from the top, and a laser focus on one man: Donald J. Trump. Now picture that same prosecutor stumbling through congressional testimony, dodging questions with "I don't recall," and admitting his star evidence was little more than gossip. That's the reality of Jack Smith's doomed crusade – a saga of leaks, lies, and lawfare that reeks of political desperation.

California's "jungle primary," formally the top-two system, was marketed as a reform to curb partisanship, empower moderates, and boost voter turnout. Adopted via Proposition 14 in 2010, it allows all candidates to compete on a single primary ballot, with the top two advancing to the general election regardless of party.