If these Republicans succeed (and I wouldn’t be surprised if changing the platform gets high level support from Washington Republicans, as well as well-healed donors), it will cost them millions of votes in 2016.
Amazing to me that Washington Republicans fail to learn the same lesson, though it is presented to them time and again, at nearly every election cycle. When conservatives are energized (ala 2004 and 2014) Republicans win. When conservatives don’t like the candidates or the message (ala 2008, 2012) Republicans lose. The formula is fairly simple. Yet Republicans don’t get it.
Republicans mostly do “get it.” They would just rather be Left than in office.
If they succeed they are done as a party the evangelicals will vote 3rd party or stay home in droves. I have never seen an organization so willing to let it’s adversary makes it’s rules, pick it’s platform, and it’s leaders and candidates.