Look, I do support conservatives. But there are times, in certain races in certain states like IL, where Republicans have to stop preaching one-note songs about abortion and gay marriage. They're already going to get votes from the conservatives in that state, so why try to preach to the other huge, liberal/moderate who'll be turned off by it? I'm not suggesting Keyes should have ran as a RINO, but he could have focused on meat-and-potato issues.
I suspect the gay marriage issue (GWB wouldn’t describe it that way) earned GWB votes and certainly increased turnout. But approaching social issues from a perspective of moral superiority doesn’t appear to be politically productive. I guess portraying 70% of Illinois voters as sinners doesn’t win votes.