If you want a conservative candidate to be the nominee, electablity needs to be considered from Iowa. Otherwise the party is going to end up with the worst of both worlds - a moderate like Newt that will also most likely lose to Obama.
We had the perfect candidate in Sarah Palin! Perhaps if she had been shown more support we would have a truly Conservative candidate!
The conservative candidates are essentially out of the game thanks to the media.
We are left with Newt and Romney.