Unfortunately, a significant portion of the GOP will fight that tooth and nail, and do all they can to subvert such a candidacy. For them it would be the beginning of them getting the scraps while Conservatives had a seat at the table.
They are getting fat just fine with the status quo, so why support the shift?
True. Maybe a march on Washington and corresponding rallies in cities and towns across America on, say, Independence Day may convince them that they are on the wrong side.