Recall, the 2010 GOP landslide was a referendum on Obamacare for a whole lot of economic, freedom, and health care reasons. Romneycare was the blueprint for Obamacare so 2010’s momentum was undermined by the GOP establishment the minute they locked onto Romney.
I think the Romney Care Obama Care distinction could have been overcome. What could not be over come is the fact that R/R let the assumption that Bush was to blame for the economy stand. They let Obama’s part in bin Laden stand. They got to the energy issue way too late. And they called Obama a “nice guy.”
All of this after calling Newt the devil.
I think we all warned against Mitt back then. Sadly folks missed out on the opportunity to run Santorum. Had Michigan, and Ohio gone to Santorum, we’d be talking about president Santorum today.