Between them they got 2/3 of the primary vote in New Hampshire and Florida in 2008. Throw in Giuliani and together they got half the primary vote in South Carolina. Pretty good for guys without support from the base.
However, I don't think either McCain nor Romney topped 35% in any primary until after the nomination was sewed up.
Clearly, thanks to "winner take all" states, both were nominated by a plurality of the primary voting population. Neither could be said to have won a majority of the GOP voters until they were unopposed.
Good points. I think many here sense that the primary process is rigged by rules from the RNC and that is why it is felt these candidates are ‘selected’ rather than elected.