A lot of the money is coming from people who would obviously benefit from Romney. He motivates *them*.
I don't know. Perhaps they really think they have a chance with Romney. But the party is in such a mess. They would benefit from losing a battle in order to get it together. To start to build up viable, charismatic figures the party can rally around. To deal with the fractures due to the the Tea Party and the fundamentalists.
Right now, the Democrat establishment is united and finally getting nasty. And the Republicans don't know what to do.
And Paul Ryan... yech. He's essentially another Romney: handsome, impersonal, cold. He has the advantage of being young and somewhat exciting.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."