RINOs were never the majority or the base, they were and are Democrats who could not get elected as democrats
Ah but when you know the Beltway DC establishment as I do, you realize that those guys and gals actually deal with money, platforms, media outlets and that is why the BASE has always been disappointed. Ever since ‘64,the conserv BASE has had to face the DC types who kept pushing their choices off the ballot. Remember? It was not till Reagan building on AUH2O that conservs began to push back in real numbers. The GOP still nominated Nixon, Ford, two Bushes, Dole, McCain and these people were good Americans but they were not good solid conservs.