This hasn’t occurred just since the election. It occurred prior to the election too and the same phenomena may have contributed to the loss.

Take the vitriolic attacks on Giuliani prior to the first ballot in the first primary. The name calling- “baby killer” and more.

For better or worse- I think worse- McCain was constrained on who he could pick for VP.

We are told that a certain segment of Republicans are crucial for us to win, but that same segment scare away many Americans which makes us more vulnerable to lose.