The real republican form of government is in the selection of the delegates. That is the process that needs to get in the hands of people. It is not the candidate who really matters. It’s the delegate.
They can be totally uncommitted and go to some convention, but if I trust them and their ability, then I’m confident that the final selection will be a good one.
I see absolutely no reason to award delegates to someone who cannot gain the confidence of a majority of the people. If I’ve been thoughful in selecting the delegate assigned to my precinct/county/whatever, I know that guy. I’d rather trust his judgment.
So, in effect, you would prefer a system where there are no candidates on the ballot. Only uncommitted delegates who would make the selection at the convention? How does a ‘return to smokey rooms’ improve this situation? That type of system seems very prone to the kind of manipulation you suspect happened this cycle.