A brokered convention will only happen if, every non-Romney supporter, votes for a single candidate, who isn't Romney, doesn't matter which one, in the remaining primaries. Doesn't need to be the same one in each state, just within a state. This to take delegates away from Romney.
But if that extremely unlikely event should occur, I don't think any of the contenders would be a good choice. Has to be someone else that hasn't been tarred by other Republicans. He/she will get tarred enough by the media.
But, if Romney is the candidate, and loses, the Republican party will likely go the way of the Whigs. But it might not matter, since a long dark age will likely descend on the Republic.. and the world.
Romney has been tarred by other Republicans.
The media will tar anyone the Republicans nominate.
Gingrich would be tarred with exceptional venom by the media, but he has the advantage of having had every possible misstep and fault already exposed ad nauseam and of having learned to game the system with expertise.
"But, if Romney is the candidate, and loses, the Republican party will likely go the way of the Whigs. But it might not matter, since a long dark age will likely descend on the Republic.. and the world."
Whether or not Romney be the candidate is beside the point. It makes no difference who the Republican candidate is, the dark scenario you describe still holds.
When I spoke of a long dark age, I was fully aware of its terrible meaning. Intentionally I left the words long and dark unmodified.