In 2013, former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal challenged the GOP to “stop being the stupid party.” Bizarre remarks and behaviors from party leaders damaged the brand and kept it in the political wilderness, he believed: Todd Akin’s “legitimate rape” comment, Christine O’Donnell’s “I’m not a witch” campaign ad, Michele Bachmann, an early front-runner in the 2012 primary, claiming Sept. 11 and Benghazi came as the result of God’s judgment, etc.

It isn’t hard to see that he had a point. Indeed, Republicans didn’t lose a pair of landslide elections to Barack Obama because they didn’t fight hard enough — or curse enough. They lost because they were stupid; they believed stupid things, said stupid things, and raised up stupid leaders. And the public rejected them for it.