I think where Romney could've gotten support is in some of those black communities that actually have the remnants of a middle class. They've suffered horribly under Obama, competing with hispanics for jobs and seeing opportunities for their educated youth evaporate. (yes, the black community in Cleveland has a substantial number who are well educated and responsible). What's my evidence based on? Here in OH, Gov Kasich has actually sat down with the mayor of Cleveland, and is held in higher regard than Romney was.
The left, a lot of it, is anti war and pro privacy. Obama's war-mongering could've been exploited. And now, with the NSA outrage, a conservative who speaks about privacy can win a lot of them over. Then there's the outsourcing of manufacturing and the insourcing of cheap labor that Romney couldn't talk about, because that's what he did as a corporate raider.
What we've needed is a conservative with vision who won't put his/her foot in their mouth. We now have a few of them, and if Republicans wanted to win, they'd be embracing them, instead of defying them every step of the way. The thing is, we now have proof that the RINOs work behind the scenes to help Obama defeat conservatives, and it's not going down well at all.
You keep saying that. I hope you're right, and that most voters are as disgusted with the attacks against Cruz (and everything Obama has done) as you are. We'll find out in 2014.