GOPe would endorse a democrat for office before they’d endorse a conservative.
Let that sink in for a minute.
They did. Mitt Romney.
Yes, they would, and that's the whole problem with the Fantasy Football approach to the 2016 primaries so many here are bought in to.
Suppose it comes down to Cruz or [insert your fave here] and Christie [or Jeb]. Further suppose that, with endless effort and superb coordination, we win in June 2016 at a divided convention.
Does anyone here doubt, doubt FOR A SECOND, that the next day Christie (or Jeb) would endorse Hillary? Does anyone doubt FOR A SECOND that if Hillary looked weak in the polls that she would choose Christie (or Jeb) as VP on a "national unity" ticket to turn back the racist, homophobic Faux News candidacy of Cruz [or Palin, or Mike Lee]?
That's why we need a split. Because even if we win the GOPe game, playing by the GOPe rules, we lose.