The elephant in the room (more properly, the donkey in the room) is the "Reagan Democrats".
THAT'S what made the 49 state landslide.
It is POSSIBLE that RR would have been elected sitting on the "three legged stool" (socons, fiscons, and neocons), but it was his huge crossover vote that was the rocket fuel which powered his victories.
There is no group in the population which is more alienated from the modern conservative movement than "Reagan Democrats". They LOATHE Dobsonites and Schaivo savers.
A candidate who cannot figure out why this is and what to do about it cannot win a national election against Obama.
McCain may be the man. We'll see.
. As do I, but the so-called Reagan Dems also loathe Friedmanites/Hayekians as well. Try getting a member of the building trades union in Philly or NYC to agree to "open bidding" of contracts.
Also remember that in those blue collar burgs where Reagan won in 1980 and 1984, turnout was low relative to other years. Nixon only won said areas in 1972 due to the "bussing" crisis that was an obsession among proletarian whites back then.
He is the man and he is going to win in particular if Obama is the nominee.