I’m not sure people understand how close Texas is to going Blue. Tarrant county is the last semi-red large population center. All the rest have been Blue for over a decade.
The GOPe wants Texas to go blue because that will move the GOP to left, too. Then all the GOP has to be is 1% to the right of the Democrats to garner the not bat poop crazy vote.
RINOs like Romney and Bush are far more comfortable and in agreement with Democrats on policy than they are with current GOP base voters. They want us marginalized and/or out of the GOP. Easiest way to do that is turn the country blue.