How so?
It's a dumb time not to choose the most qualified, articulate, conservative white (including Hispanics) male there is.
I have no problem with Ted Cruz, but will middle America (forget about leftist America) vote for his qualifications over Hillary's, uh, image or whatever it is she brings to the table?
Racist? No....it's practical.
It's not racist to choose the most qualified candidate, but it's sexist to reject a woman for no other reason than her gender, and it is not practical. I know you think choosing a woman would be some kind of concession, but you haven't demonstrated how.
People have "hope and change" fatigue.
People had "Clinton fatigue" in 2000, but Al Gore nearly won.
If the 'pubs choose a guy who could be perceived as Putin's equal in skill as a leader, that would be powerful.
I don't think anyone in the middle will ask "Can this man be like Putin?"
The election will be chosen on perception. hillary has not aged well, and opposed to anyone energetic and articulate who articulates constitutional conservative views, she will not seem presidential. It'll be a factor people can't identify.
The country's in bad shape. We need someone who we would trust in bad situations. A lot of it will be on an undefined level. We need someone who seems capable of good decisions, whose goal is to save the US.
Ted Cruz seems to have it, except I'm not sure about him on foreign affairs.