[FirstPrinciple]

You are wrong. All it will do is Democrat-ize the Republican party. Every politician wants to be in a winning team instead of following one's principles. Instead of preaching conservatism, the GOP simply let liberals join the club without questioning their authenticity. The result: look at the IL GOP.

[Ophiucus]

Instead of preaching conservatism, the GOP simply let liberals join the club without questioning their authenticity. The result: look at the IL GOP.

If the Republican Party were to narrow to only "true" conservatives, it would go the way of the Federalist, Whig, Know-nothing parties. Parties that focus on a small minority view only - are ineffectual and then go extinct.

Parties that create a clear core and common area of agreement and accept a range of views outside of that commonality grow, flourish, and become able to influence the government. This is how the Republican Party came into being from Free-soilers, Whigs, and abolitionists and how they came to be a significant party.

The result: look at the IL GOP

You're kidding right? Or are you just using George Ryan?