Romney was the establishment’s choice in 2008? You got it wrong. It was McCain and the GOP listened to them. That is why we must never let the lame stream media tell us who to vote for and we must make it clear to the GOP to listen to us, and not to the LSM
Maybe in your area, but the establishment here LOVED Romney and HATED McCain. It wasn't as anti-McCain nationally as it was in Michigan (going back to Engler/Bush vs McCain rivalries), but Romney was quite popular in DC as well and was quietly the choice of a lot of them.
At this point in 07, McCain was also considered dead in the water. It was Rudy or Romney.