That whole analysis skips over the fact that the party isn't telling you to do anything. It's your job to get your candidate the nomination.
Just like Reagan won the nomination in 1980, any conservative WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE VOTERS can win. Hunter's current problem is that his support vacillates between non-existent and almost none.
Yes, Hunter's campaign does appear to be struggling. My impression is that he's tackling big game first, then focusing on smaller ones later. Just ask President Dean how significant early high poll numbers mean.