Its called the splitter strategy.
The bottom feeder players appeal to a specific slice of the electorate and garner their support.
Splitting the vote per se.
Then they drop out and endorse the 'chosen' one (2016 was Jeb, 2024 DeSantis).
The intent is to 'donate' their followers to the one chosen by the GOPe. Ideally for the splitters - they get rewards or plum positions for aiding the GOPe put their chosen chump in the general election.