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But if Rudy has no intention of changing abortion laws either way -- what would it matter if he's pro-choice?

I'm pro-choice, personally. I'm 'conservative' as in "conservative with my money". As in 'careful choices'. Tough love. The 'ant' to a liberal's grasshopper.

I started voting R because of the Contract with America. Now it appears the Rs are abandoning that, and the 'Socials' such as yourself are openly fighting for abortion and gay sanctions as top issues.

I want politicians who will keep their hands off those issues entirely.

Do you want me in your R party or not?

---"Do you want me in your R party or not?"---

That has never been the issue. SoCons want a united party behind a candidate who is both fiscally and socially Conservative, and will fight the war. It is the Rockefeller wing of the party telling a large group of the base to drop all of their issues, not the other way around.

Yes, I want you in the party, but I also want the SoCons as well. It takes both to win, as is evidenced in Reagan/Bush 43 vs. Ford/Dole/Bush 41. Rudy will polarize a great deal of the base, and get flanked in the election by folks like myself who will see no other alternative than to run another candidate. To expect Rudy to win in excess of 70% of the swing vote - a reasonable number when one considers the revolt on the right - is not realistic.

BTW - The Contract With America started out with Prayer in School. It wasn't all tax cuts. Gingrich knew what he was doing when he added something for everybody on the right.