The question is not, “can she win the primary”? I believe that she can do that. The real question is: “can she win 270 electoral votes” That’s the only question that counts and I don’t know the answer, but I am certainly going to try to figure it out before I vote.
I intend to support the most conservative candidate who can win 270 electoral votes. Those conservatives who can’t do that will just help Obama win.
Yes, I suspect that the same forces that had Romney throw the 2008 primary to McCain in the first 5 minutes are at work here. The RINOs don’t want somebody that will actually clean house and root out corruption. The PR is bad, but there is a lot of money in being a hang-dog do-nothing go-along-get-along Republican.