Yep. Been doin' that since I cast my first vote in 1988.
That said, the time to get the right candidate is in the primaries.
I agree completely. But what happens if Rudy wins the primary? Will the True Conservatives™ cease fire and unify against our common opponent?
Or will they act as spoilers?
First of all, if Rudy loses, it will be his fault and the fault of those in the GOP who, in response to the loss in 2006 from drifting leftward, found the solution was to turn even harder to port. The history is there but the Leftward, Ho! pubbies refuse to learn from it, setting up a likely repeat.
Second, a lot of conservatives will probably unenthusiastically vote for Rudy. But to win, the GOP will need those people motivated and enthused to donate and volunteer to drive the GOTV effort. Which is another reason why Rudy is such a bad choice.
Quit worrying about the true conservatives backing Rudy in the general. I'm one, and I'd back him to the hilt. Now, I may seem like the exception, but let me tell you, these people who say "I'll never vote for Rudy" now get to watch Hillary campaign for the next 21 months. Trust me, that will concentrate the mind...