**some backers not abandoning ship**
Count me in!
I might just vote for Thompson in the primary Feb 5 since he will remain on the ballot. We can hope that maybe no candidate will have enough votes at the convention and Fred could be a consensus candidate. I know this is unlikely but voting for him anyway would be like my own form of protest.
My only other options seem to be voting uncommitted, or closing ranks with some fellow conservatives and voting for Romney. I’ve voted in GOP presidential primaries since 1980. How sad is it that this time I have absolutely no enthusiasm.