They have said it in both word and deed, but some people just cling bitterly to the fantasy is something that it isn’t and really never was when you get down to it. Reagan was a dark time for the RINO wing and they pretty much vowed to never let it happen again.
Thus the self sabotage of Palin. Most of the hate the MSM spread was based of leaks (read that pure inventions) from Schmitt and Wallace. And they are 100% true blue Romney.
That election was in the bag. then they saw the upswell from the base for a conservative and made the call to quash it once and for all. The next election they ran the single most liberal candidate to ever wear the “R”. So what will it take for the right to remove the rose colored glasses?
Edit/Clarification “Self sabotage of Palin” meaning the GOP sabotaging it’s own candidate. NOT that Palin sabotaged anything.