For a very long time the GOP has given a wink and a nod to the nutjobs to keep their vote. The encouragement of conspiracy theories about the Clintons being murders, Barack Obama being a foreign born muslim. The conspiracies about Hillary when she ran were legion. And now more nonsense about Biden. Romney actually discusses in the article ER linked to how he contemplated his own guilt for the modern GOP's degenerating into endless conspiracies and turning its back on democracy.

Perhaps the result would inevitably be as you suggest, but my point really was that Romney is nothing like Trump. He voted to impeach the orange criminal pos twice (btw, calling Trump a piece of shit is an insult to shit). Romney has been one of Trump's most vocal critics in the GOP, and would have at the very least staved off the crazies for a few more election cycles. He might have even been able to drag some part of his party out of Climate Change denial. Trump brought the full weight of the insane faction of the GOP to control and has damaged our nation and its image possibly beyond repair.

While I disagree with him on a wide range of policy, Romney would have at least slowed the authoritarian progression occuring in the GOP, because he has proven by his actions that he puts the constitution over his party.