Right. And NO conservative in his or her right mind should ever consider casting a vote for a liberal from any political party. If certain Republican Californians decide they will support and vote for Ahnold Schwarzy, fine. Just don't call yourselves, political conservatives. That is a fallacy.
All Americans should vote. Staying home on election day solves nothing. If the choice is between two liberal candidates, one Republican, one Democrat, the conservative should cast their vote for the best alternative third party candidate available. Principles do matter and conservative principles matter most. The best way to undermine conservatism, is to vote for a liberal. Conservatives should never vote for a candidate that advances liberalism. NEVER!
" ... Principles do matter ..."
Sure they do. And voting for Ross Perot brought us eight years of Clinton.
Your namesake disagreed with your line of reasoning, as I'm sure you know--- otherwise he would have run against President Ford in the general election. Yet Ronald Reagan certainly advanced conservatism.
Voting for third party candidates is what elected Bill Clinton.