Editing Rumsfeld for Crane (two challengers from the conservative wing seems manageable)
January 24th, 1984: Iowa primary vote for Republicans - Bush only gets 39% of the vote, but Robertson and Crane split the conservative opposition vote 34%/27% respectively. The press present this as a political loss for Bush as it was dependent on a split; Bush refuses to publicly comment. Old
February 18, 1984: [1] Puerto Rico Republican vote. Bush wins 51% to Crane's 28%, Robertson at 21%. Crane and Robertson both request the other drops out to avoid splitting the vote.
February 28, 1984: New Hampshire: heavy campaigning from Robertson and Crane about Bush's deficit spending, "wasteful" ART policy, and others - as well as endorsements by people against Bush, with Rumsfeld stating Crane "has good sense" - hammer Bush's vote share to 33%, but Crane only gets 34% and Robertson is also at 33%. Neither will budge. Concern grows in the White House that Bush is not contesting as hard as he could, worn out by the events of 1983. Concern grows by Crane that Robertson will discredit him by association with moderates.
March 1, 1984: A letter is leaked to the press, in which Robertson stated his plan to end the Bush era funding for AIDS treatments - a policy other Republicans have said but he refers to the disease as "God's judgement". Bush is roused and makes a short, angry statement to radio news, stating the way AIDS kills and calling it "repugnant to suggest God would inflict that on His own children". Crane swiftly condemns the idea too and, despite having planned to cut the funding himself, announces a U-turn. Polls show that many religious conservatives agree with Robertson, others are startled by the harshness.
[1] I'm guessing as I couldn't find when this was