I think we are in the beginning stages of that battle now. Hopefully, we will prevail.
If we fail, and the party writes off the right to life and liberty, then we all lose.
How many will split off? I have no idea. Maybe the powers that be in the party leadership have measured the polls and aren't at all worried about it. But how they can be so confident after the debacle suffered last November, I have no idea.
Write off your base at your own peril.