The issues which are claimed to be so important to conservatives have produced very few victories for the GOP other than local ones and generally are most effectively used as tools for the enemy to attack it and paint it as too "extreme" for the majority.
While one on one face to face discussions can show most people that those who are "extremist" really are not it takes a long time to make that clear. And we must overcome 15-30 second distortions which reach thousands at a time.
But some people never learn and don't want to. Your Oklahoma example is both instructive and precautionary. I wondered what happened to Istook.
Ran the worst campaign I have ever seen. Never could get on message. Tried to bring up illegal immigration but it didn't work here as Henry went right back and told him it was the federal government and why didn't he do anything as a Rep about fixing it.
Then OK GOP jumps in the act and comes out with a door hangar of why to vote Republican with scare tactics. Keep in mind that we did not have a senate race as I post about the door hangar that was put out days before the election:
On the one side it has old pictures of Kennedy and Ms. Clinton with big bold letters -- DON'T LET THE LIBERALS WIN. It is blue background with YELLOW lettering. On the reverse side with a picture of Kerry and Howard Dean it says:
The liberals want you to skip this election. as the title.
Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the national Democrats don't want you to vote on Nov. 7th. They know this year's election is going to be close, and your vote could decide which party controls Congress and the State Capitol.
IF REPUBLICANS don't vote it could mean:
John Kerry can raise your taxes and the State Democrats can keep taxes high on Oklahoma families.
Hillary Clinton will lead the charge in appeasing terrorists and weakening our military
Ted Kennedy will decide our policy on immigration while Oklahoma Democrats continue to give illegal immigrants benefits like an in-state tuition. (my comment -- it was a Republican bill)
Howard Dean will make abortions more common.
Defend your values.
Vote Republican on Nov 7th (end of door hangar)
That did not play well and my phone rang off the hook of complaints in our County that they did not like scare tactics and why do this when we didn't have a Senate election AND how could Howard Dean make abortion more common.
This was Paid for by the Republican State Committee of Oklahoma of which I am a member and if I had seen this before it went to print, I would have screamed that it not the way to go. We needed to give voters a reason to Vote Republican not a scare tactic IMHO!