Bush’s victory in 2004 was a function of social conservatives engaged and working their butts off. It was the telling factor in winning Ohio, Iowa and Missouri, probably Florida too.
Social conservatives will be utterly disheatened if a pro-abortion, gun-grabber like Rooty is anywhere on the ticket.
If conservatives don’t come out in Florida, the Republican candidate loses. Ditto in Missouri and Ohio.
You lose those three and the election’s gone.
And even if by some miracle Rudy wins, our conservative congresspeople will lose, because the independents that show up for Rudy will vote democrats down-ticket.