Could the difference be the Paulbots?
No. The reality is we just didn’t show up. In fact, less showed up this time for a “more palatable” candidate than last time.
2 million less and really we should had an increase in our share participation.
It cost us our mathematically predictable gains in the houses.
Just great.
Could the difference be the Paulbots?
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I think you have hit on something. Here’s why...the Paul supporters I know tend to be more Libertarian than Conservative socially. They are fiscally conservative, but socially moderate to liberal on the main issues.
A lot of them (and even some non Paul supporters) were APPALLED by how Ron Paul, a Republican, was treated at the RNC and by Romney. The delegate issue and the insistence that if he spoke, his speech would have to be vetted, turned many of them off and pushed them to Gary Johnson rather than Mitt Romney.
I do know a few Paulbots who voted for Romney, but I also know a few (none in swing states IIRC) who stayed home. None I know supported Virgil Goode and most said (I don’t know if they followed through) they would vote for Gary Johnson because not only was he closer to thier views, but the GOP left a bad taste in their mouths because of how they treated Paul.