[buccaneer81]

Conservatives usually win, in Primaries and you do not want the Party getting involved, because liberals will, sometimes, be in charge of the Party.

Didn't work out too well for us with McCain.

[Kansas58]

I agree, but McCain’s victory is the exception.
-— However, the Party did not take an official stand in the Primary, either.
Things might have been worse if the Party had not been, officially, neutral.