The last time we nominated a conservative, they said the electorate would never vote for him, either. He ended up winning in two landslides. The last time we nominated a liberal Republican like Trump (four years ago), we got trounced by a weak president. No more liberal Republican nominees!
Haw haw, that's a laugh!
Let's see now: that "liberal Republican" loser from 2012, Mitt Romney (and the one from 2008, John McCain), and Jeb Bush, with crooked Neil Bush on his finance team, and Lindsay Graham.
Who are those "liberal Republicans" supporting at this very moment?
Ted Cruz, of course!
Why? Because they know Ted Cruz will 1) Lose to Hillary, preserving the status quo and the corrupt system, or 2) If Ted Cruz somehow steals the nomination and somehow wins the general election, he'll dutifully preserve the DC status quo and the corrupt system, because he will be loyal to the GOPe benefactors who propped up his failed campaign.
Ted Cruz has embraced the GOPe in the most transparent way. Cruz has shown that the only thing that's important to him is his own personal advancement. Touting conservative principles is merely "boob bait for bubbas".
A vote for Ted Cruz is a vote for maintaining the DC cartel, because nothing will change without a Revolutionary tsunami...
Romney not only couldn't get the base excited about him, he couldn't attract Dem, blacks, or anyone else. Trump can and does. LOL