I do not see how a candidate splits a party. The majority votes for him...the minority can either respect the majority or they don't.. THEY split the party
Ok, here's an analogy to work with. Take a small box and fill it with some rocks. Then add some rice, filling it to the top.
Now take all the same stuff, but in a different order. Put in the rice first, then add the rocks.
What you'll find is that if you put in the big stuff first, the small stuff will fit around it. But if you put in the small stuff first, the big stuff won't have room.
The republican tent is the box. The Big issues are the socon issues, to be put in first. The little issues are things that can be accommodated around the bigger stuff.
A candidate who tries to focus on the smaller issues first and leave out the bigger issues has no way of getting all of us into the tent. He splits the party. The candidate who gets the big stuff right and as much of the little stuff that will fit, he can fit more into the tent. We're often amazed at how much rice can keep fitting in.
Rudy flunks some of the big issues, and on some of the little issues it looks to me like anyone else's rice would do just as well.