Yet Another Reason

This is good ... and right on. There is yet another reason for the religious nutbars to run a third party candidate:

These religious right leaders are making bold threats, but they really don't have any choice. Dobson & Co., not to mention their loyal followers, believe they have enormous influence in Republican circles, and can dictate the party's direction. If the Republicans nominate a pro-choice, pro-gay, pro-gun control, thrice-married serial adulterer who wants to invest in stem-cell research, the religious right's masquerade will be over. It will be obvious that the movement is practically powerless in the party, and the groups' benefactors will have far less reason to keep writing the checks that keeps the movement afloat.

As I've said, if they run a candidate and he/she he bombs, they lose influence also. But. Might as well stick with the ideals and continue to count the money coming in from idealogues who love to pay preciously to go down in flames rather than playing politics with the Republicans and losing whether the candidate wins or not.