I think you're right. I got caught up in the moment, imagining what *I* would do were I a congresscritter with this kind of info.
The Republicans seem to have a different "rules of engagement" set, than do the Dems. This seems to be the case since the '94 election, when they found they could win if they clearly delineated the differences between the two parties. This has been the reason for the GOP losses, not any movement of the electorate towards the "center".