"Would you advise someone to read the Republican Party platform to learn what a republic is?"
Yes I would! Everyone should read the platform of any party they are going to hitch their wagon to, or vote for.
If you agree with most but not all, its up to you to work within that party to change/correct it.
I didn't ask about whether you would do it to see if you wanted to join the party. Buy you knew that.
I found a good way for voters to find which party they agree with most, a great site, www.3pc.net. If you take the matchmaker quiz, it will ask for your opinions about 25 issues and tell how often you agree with seven parties. For example, some of my results are Constitution and Libertarian, 88%; Republican, 84%; and Green, 12%.
I think that more voters should vote for the candidates they agree with most, unless they think that, by voting for minor-party candidates, they would help the candidate they dislike.