If he doesn’t play ball the pubbie establishment will deep six him.
Just ask Bret Schundler in NJ how that works. When the sitting pubbie governor supports the DIM candidate you know the pubbie establishment are crooks.
Or heck, Mike Farris in Virginia. George Allen and Jim Gilmore moved forward after the 1993 election, but Farris never went anywhere again after a narrow loss to Don Beyer. .
You've got that right. Look at how establishment republicans take to Sarah Palin.
Ken Cuccinelli is the most anti-RE candidate. He beat LG Bill Bolling at the organization game. When he was in the Commonwealth Senate, he constantly fought the RE in favor of the Constitution.
In general, the State Central Committee is comprised of 60% Tea Party and Ron/Rand Paul folks. The complete Virginia delegation stood against the ploy launched at the national convention last year - and lost. But they stood united against the RNC RE/Romney move that passed. Day by day, the Republican Party of the Virginia is becoming transformed.
Or that the NJ Gov is suffering from blackmail.
New Jersy has no genuine Republican party, much like California, New York, Hawaii, and (especially) Massachusetts. The alleged party divisions in those states is merely a silly game the politicians play to entertain and con the masses.