I believe that if Rudy wins the nomination, he will lose the general as his real record gets more play. And that even if he wins, he destroys the coalition that created a Republican Party where we all could have won. Now those pushing Rudy on this site seem to be doing their best to push out social conservatives as unneeded. This is not a winning strategy. When given the choice between Dem and Dem Lite on these social issues, the Reagan Democrats vote Dem and the socially conservative Republicans and evangelicals will probably not allow their revulsion of Hillary outweigh the revulsion they will have for Rudy once they truly understand his positions. At best, they will sit things out. The anti-Hillary Dems would have to make up the numbers lost. How can people expect there to be that many that would vote Republican?
And this all assumes that Hillary is the nominee. If it is Obama or Richardson, there won't even be the fear factor to get them in line.
In the primaries it is the most conservative wing of the party that vote, if Duncan Hunter is their choice he will win, it is a simple as that.