I think one factor is arrogance. After electing George W. Bush twice, George H. W. Bush once and Ronald Reagan twice, the Daddy Warbucks crowd thinks they can elect anyone. And one of their own might be appealing to them.

Another factor is that they ran their best in the primaries. Remember Perry, Bachmann? Among their best. Palin. So out of the entire country they were left with Gingrich, Paul, Santorum and Romney. I think he got the "what the hell" vote, as people stood in the booths and figured "what the hell".

And Daddy Warbucks doesn't care which Republican is president. He'll run it.