Moderates will not be attracted to a candidate who accuses them of apostasy for daring a semblance of disagreement yet conservatives should be attracted to a candidate, who runs counter to their core principles, while he hopes to attract Dems in sufficient number to offset them?
No. What needs to be rediscovered is Reagan's formula, which is
popular conservatism. He emphasised the more popular parts of his programme (namely tax reduction and standing up the USSR) which dragged in Reagan Democrats and capped it with an optimistic view of the future. My greatest critique of the "unrealistic" wing of the Republican Party is apparently people really think that they're going to win votes with a scowl and negativity. An additional critique I bear is for those who insist on violating Reagan's 11th Commandment - "Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican."
Ivan