Actually, the problem is that the religious right will most likely not repay the loan of goodwill they've received from the GOP. After getting the Republicans to put the nuclear option and Social Security reform on permanent hold to meet their demands, the religious right is now making noises of bolting the party because President Bush and Governor Bush didn't send in the Marines and the National Guard to Wacoize Schiavo, Felos, and Greer.
A Life was on line. Everything else including economic reform should be secondary for everyone.
As to the "religious right", perhaps you've noted that "conservatives" were also NOT in favor on any action on part of Congress and the president in this case. These same "conservatives" have delivered the same possibility they may no longer vote for the GOP. Are you worried about their continued alliegance?
If anything once the emotion calms down Christians will be more determined than ever to correct the Judiciary, and they'll seek the GOP as the vehicle to make this happen. Through ending filibusters..through insitance the GOP use its constitutional authority to discipline the Judiciary. It's already begun.
As progress continues on pursuing S.S. reform economic conservatives will stay onboard. Foreign policy remains strong, so will those that consider this the number one issue. Moderates are fickle, so this will be unlikely to still matter to them by the time of the next election. The only ones you might concern yourself with are those that are faithful to "state rights" above all. To them I state, Lincoln defied "state rights" more so than could ever be argued here, and he was RIGHT to do so.
The Republican Party to which I have been a long-time loyalist has become a wholly owned subsidiary of crazies on the extreme right, the fanatical, & frenzied religious nuts who share that end of the political spectrum.
Perhaps you don't recall, but this happened over a long Easter weekend when they weren't considering anything, period. They were called back for this, they weren't interrupted in anything but their vacations. Many didn't even come back. Perhaps they were considering the nuclear option and SS reform in their heads. If so, maybe you are right.