To my knowledge he was popular with party bigwigs because he successfully campaigned for the GOP in the 1966 midterms, but they had to have been very gullible to think that would somehow make Nixon a great candidate after he not only lost the Presidency but he even lost his own home state to Moonbeam's father. He only won in '68 because he sabotaged the Vietnam Peace Talks (which probably would have failed anyway but Nixon orchestrated this to happen right before the election and halt Humphrey's momentum).
I was referring more to GOP voters, you are correct with regards to party people.