And I will say this: I have no use for Rand Paul, or his all over the place foreign policy.
But I believe that he can win a general election. I will vote for him if I have to.
I also believe that he has inherited the tenacity of his father, and will stick around longer than most. I will be rooting for pretty much anyone else for the non-establishment wing of the party. But if it got to that point, I would hold my nose and vote for him. I won't have that chance this time around. NY (29 electoral votes) moved up on the calendar. It will now be held immediately after NH, on Feb 7th. Either Bush or Romney will win NY, and the other may very likely drop out at that point.
And THAT is precisely why the Republican party continues it's leftward slide. Because voters feel pressured into voting for the 'lesser evil' instead of walking away with their dignity and core principles intact.
If enough of us did that in enough elections, the Republican party would begin drifting rightward - finally.
One essential political truism you must never forget is: You Get More Of What You Vote For.