Be nice.
However, political parties are about power, not priciples.
"Real" conservatives make up, say, 20-25% of the voters (which is probably well above our proportion in the population). Thats nice, but the 'Pubbies need another 25-30% (plus 1) to win. Plus a little extra to beat fraud, gerrymandering, etc.
The remaining 30% has to come from the "moderate" and / or "undecided" voters, or, basically, from people too stupid to make up their minds or to think independently. Since being "Republican" is about power, not principles, the party lurches left to pick up these voters. This POs the conservatives, but, hey!, where else can they go? (Don't waste my time with third parties...) In extremis, the GOP might lurch EVEN FURTHER LEFT, because the Democrats, by radicalizing, have uncovered a bunch of votes in the middle and it might be worth jettisoning conservatives to pick them up (after all, where else can we go?).
This is why I'm stuck voting against candidate, instead of for 'em.
"Real" conservatives make up, say, 20-25% of the voters (which is probably well above our proportion in the population)."
Where did you get those figures? If they're true, then we are really in deep doo-doo.