Republican Party elite panic is beginning to set in:

According to other Republicans, some in the party establishment are so desperate to change the dynamic that they are talking anew about drafting Romney — despite his insistence that he will not run again. Friends have mapped out a strategy for a late entry to pick up delegates and vie for the nomination in a convention fight, according to the Republicans, who were briefed on the talks, though Romney has shown no indication of reviving his interest.

Bringing Romney into the race would be a terrible idea and would almost certainly drive more people toward the “outsider” candidates, but it is a remarkable vote of no-confidence in the current “establishment” candidates that such an option is even being considered. That they would contemplate a “draft Romney” effort is indeed a sign of just how desperate and unimaginative these people are. If there are party elites that think they have a better chance with a third Romney campaign than with any of the other alternatives available, they clearly don’t think very highly of the political talent of the candidates in the current field.

The most interesting thing in this article was the report that lots of big donors have so far been unwilling to commit to any candidate:

Still, the party establishment’s greatest weapon — big money — is partly on the shelf. Kenneth G. Langone, a founder of Home Depot and a billionaire supporter of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, said he is troubled that many associates in the New York financial community have so far refused to invest in a campaign due to the race’s volatility.

The lack of a consensus “establishment” candidate has apparently stopped many donors from giving to anyone, and that in turn feeds the overall weakness of the various “establishment” candidates. Republican elites may be on the verge of their biggest repudiation in decades, and they are fast running out of options to stop that from happening.