Here's what the Globe and Mail, a Canadian newspaper, has to say about presidential politics in light of the, um, less-than-fun day Republicans had on Tuesday:

A candidate like outgoing Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, for example, who has proven it's possible for a moderate Republican with appeal to religious conservatives to govern well in a liberal state, could fit the ticket.

Replace "moderate Republican" there with "conservative Republican who can actually make the case for conservatism" and you've got yourself a good point.