Unless you are embraced and supported by the party chances are slim you will be able to raise enough money to maintain the advertising and exposure necessary to get through the primary process against an opponent who does have the party’s support.  Either that, or you have to have your own deep pockets, which as Charen explains does not always bring us the best candidates.  It really is a shame because there are a lot of good conservatives in this country the people would support.  Unfortunately, they do not have the funding to get the exposure it would take to get out their message.  I agree the process is much too long and Republicans have not had a good record with the current system.  It is definitely a conversation we must get started so that we can go into 2016 with a plan in place which will bring us the best candidate to go against the opposition candidate.