“The GOP would always rather lose graciously than win ugly.”
The RINO leadership lost gracefully to the Party of Jim Crow in 2008 and 2012. The result was 8 years of America being degraded at all levels under Obamanation. They were prepared to betray the GOP voting base in 2016, but fortunately for America, they failed.
Romney exemplified the wrong-headed nontion that Republican candidates must appeal to the squishy middle and try appease the illegal alien constituency more than the Democrat did.
If Romney had gotten the majority of that vote, it still would not have been enough. If he got 2-3% more of the Caucasian vote, he would have won.
The direction of this country was saved from the abyss in 2016. Period.