Worse, whoever comes out ahead in the shark pool that's the current primary is gonna be hard to win over supporters.They're fighting over ashes. No way is a R candidate gonna win in TTL's 1980. This election is going to be a landslide for better or worse.
Rumsfeld, for instance, is gonna have to really double down on moderating his tone and speech, which is likely impossible.
Any Moderates are gonna have a right based opposition the entire way, and for good measure, still be tarred with the image of Reagan. Who really doesn't have much to spare.