The level of angst over this year’s crop of candidates really is amazing. Honestly, I think it says more about Mitt Romney’s failure to seal the deal with conservatives between 2008 and 2012 than anything else.

But Steve Moore has this nugget in the Wall Street Journal’s Political Diary today:

Efforts are underway by some wealthy Republican donors and a group of conservative leaders to investigate whether a new Republican candidate could still get into the presidential race. The talk is still preliminary and somewhat wishful, but it reflects dissatisfaction with the two leading candidates, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney.

Conservative leaders are looking into whether it is feasible for a dark horse to get on the ballot in select states. The deadline to qualifying for the ballot has passed in Florida, South Carolina, Missouri, and New Hampshire. But a candidate could still get on the ballot in states like Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Michigan and Texas. At the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses, voters write in their choice, so there is no formal filing deadline.

The chatter about potential new entrants include former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, businessman Donald Trump, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint.

In other words, this could drag things out to a convention or a candidate could come on so strong that the first few states past Iowa wouldn’t matter. The other name being floated? Jeb Bush.

I’d take DeMint or Bush in a heartbeat, but let’s be clear what this is: wishful thinking.

We go to war with the army we have and we go to the ballot box with the field we have. As much as I wouldn’t mind a brokered convention, I don’t think it will happen — though miracles do still happen.

Also, I should note that a candidate getting in now might hit the Rick Perry problem and not actually be ready for prime time. A candidate, likewise, getting in at the convention would have to weather the media storm and inquiry in a way that the present candidates have not because that candidate would be the nominee and have bypassed everything now.

Don’t hold your breath. But prayer does work.