I have a slightly different take.
I bet this is how the game is played with “Consultants”.
The “Consultants” find someone who seems to be getting traction for one reason or another and then they try and kiss up so they can get $$$ to “help”.
Once the contract is signed, they start trying to change the campaign direction.
There was a good guy in Portland I was backing and as soon as one of these “Consultants” came on board, things started a downward track.
The consultants are part of the elite/establishment. If they find they can’t control the candidate (meaning: turn them into RINOs), they intentionally destroy their campaigns. See Michele Bachmann with Ed Rollins for an example.