>I can only assume the rest of the RNC is going along with it because they are stupid or cowards

They are not stupid; they are self-interested.

With gerrymandering making many seats stable in terms of which party will win, the competition then comes from within the party; moderate GOPs face competition from the far right. If they don't tow the line, they risk losing their power. This is the end-game of gerrymandering playing out.

Rubio is the coward of the hour: http://www.nationaljournal.com/daily/what-happened-to-marco-...