The two biggest advances for conservatism in the last 50 years were predicated by conservative voters rejecting the election of Democrat-Lite Republicans.
Conservatives rejected Ford in 1976 and it cleared the way for Reagan in 1980. Did the GOP respond by moving more to the left like your post predicted or did it properly realize it's folly and move back to the right?
Conservatives rejected George HW Bush in 1992 and it led to take over of the House in 1994 - after 40 years of being in the minority. Again, did the GOP move more to the left after 1992 or did it come to it's senses and move back to the right?
Sometimes you have to take one step back to take 10 forward. Democrat-Lite Republicans are clogging up the way and preventing conservative Republicans from entering the fray. Get rid of the Democrat-Lite Republicans in CONSERVATIVE states and the
I don't agree with your historical assessment. In those cases you had articulate speakers - Reagan and Newt - who could communicate with both the right and the middle. It had more to do with effective communications than previous defeat. Until we have Republicans who can speak and persuade we will continue to have problems.