Why do Repukes always seem to pick stupid, ignorant presidential candidates?

[NewJeffCT]

8. There used to be a decent amount of smart Republicans

people in government with law degrees and law licenses and such, or others that were highly educated...

Now, it's just whoever can yell out the most Limbaugh/Fox News talking points the loudest and most often that gets the nomination for the GOP at the state and local levels.

Was listening to Norm Ornstein as a guest with Al Franken on Sirius radio on Saturday and Norm put the blame on Newt Gingrich. Prior to Gingrich, the staffs of the Republican & Democratic committees would work together and come up with bills to present to their committees and the bills would be debated and modified in committee and then move forward to the entire House or Senate for votes. Newt tanked that and GOP staff was now required to work alone slapping together bills and Dem staff was frozen out and GOP played with the entire process afterwards. After that, loyalty and purity were more important than debate and bipartisanship.