the conservatives will demand a litmus test pure candidate, who cannot win, and will hold their support back from a "moderate" republican. so long as that formula is in place in northeast states, republicans have no chance. and every republican incumbent in the northeast is going to be ousted eventually. long island used to have all republican congressman, now its down to one.
Problem is, if the Republicans have to nominate a candidate so far to the left, what's the point ? We already have a leftist party, we don't need two. Besides, the reason why the party has eroded so badly in the Northeast is because Conservatives are kept from running or undermined if they win the nomination.