"Reasonable" doesn't have anything to do with it. The thought process is that a smarter but equally deplorable candidate would be able to able to tailor and se

"Reasonable" doesn't have anything to do with it. The thought process is that a smarter but equally deplorable candidate would be able to able to tailor and segregate their messaging so that each subgroup hears what they want to hear, uniting both the center and the far right to secure the presidency. Trump was only good at telling the crazies what they wanted to hear because he wasn't that smart; a skilled politician is good at telling everybody what they want to hear. Much as I would be happy about the end of the Republican party, thinking that they're finished or don't know what they need to do to win again is fantasy. The Democrats need to distance themselves from antagonistic progressiveism that is driving voters into the arms of the Republicans immediately or they stand a pretty good chance of losing future elections. That is what the minority voting numbers of 2020 show.