If you really look at their assessments, the bottom line is that they picked him because they think he can win, NOT because they think he’s the most conservative. They have chosen winning over ideology and they know it.
Bingo.
To some people "winning ain't everything" (hey, look what it got us the last time!)
Thus, I am not, and shall never be, a Mitterite.
I value my self-respect far above any puerile urge to be able to scream "I won! I won! I won!" (particulary when the reality will be that I'll have lost -- annointing a figurehead RINO simply because he belongs to the correct team... ugh.)
Prediction: Long before primary season is over, there will be more and more people taking the "I am NOT a Mitterite!" pledge.