The candidates identified as "Conservative" covered all the main threads of thought and all the issues. The Republican Establishment (a small faction better known 50 years ago as "The Presidential Republicans') did coalesce around their latest candidate ~ Mitt Romney.
You'll notice, though, that throughout the election period Mitt usually didn't get much beyond his basic 22% to 30% but there were several Conservatives who did nearly as well, or even better!
The dominant force in the Republican coalition is Conservative, not Establishment, not TEAParty, not former Democrats parading as newly minted Republicans.
You add up the Conservative vote and they have about 65% of the total votes.
Romney and his propagandists may well fool some people into thinking that his minority position is sweeping the Republican rank and file but the vote totals to date prove him to be little more than a fringe candidate with little support.
Party professionals should have noticed by now that when Mitt ran against himself in the screwy Virginia primary 1,000,000 voters disappeared!
That's some serious SH**.
You can't win an election against even Obama if you can't get supporters to show up ~ which, of course, is the point of a primary election season ~ to see if you really have supporters or simply propagandists.
WIth Newt, there is no "there" there.
WIth Each and Every One of the Conservative Candidates, they proved they have supporters in depth ~ and for a lot less cost than the Mitbots!
Conservatives proved they can coalesce, and the transplanted New York City vote in Florida really shouldn't be anyone's guideline in this election.
Newt has supporters in excess, even people who voted for Santorum AND/OR the crazy old geezer ~ good ol' what's his name !~