The problem with that claim, whether it's Talent, Santorum, Allen, Burns, J.D. Hayworth---they all lost. And every time, conservatives make excuses and blame the candidate. But at some point you have to realize that heavy doses of traditional conservatism just aren't going to fly in some states. I wish it were otherwise, but we only keep shooting ourselves in the foot if we continue to fool ourselves.
Name any openly anti-gun Republican that has EVER won the nomination, much less the general election for President?
Rooty and Mutt are both anti-gun.