The Republican party is not the conservative party. It’s more conservative than the Democratic party, but it’s not the conservative party and hasn’t been for decades.
The Republican party is a coalition of factions - fiscal conservatives, social conservatives, libertarians, moderates, and liberals.
You can’t be a viable party and win major elections if you drive out all but the social conservatives.
“but it’s not the conservative party and hasn’t been for decades.”
Then maybe it’s time that changed.
“You can’t be a viable party and win major elections if you drive out all but the social conservatives”
You can’t win EVER if you run a Rudy, who is to the left of many democrats.
"Social conservatives" are the majority in the GOP, and are its ground troops. They are also its conscience.
Ignore your conscience and real bad stuff is going to happen to you. And, as a political party, stiffing your base is the fastest way to lose elections.
I beg your pardon. This is the party Reagan built. Listen to what our enemies in the media say about us. You’d think we were nothing but a bunch of right wing yahoos.
If there is no conservative party as you say, then we need to bring this one back to its roots and its foundation. Yes we have blocs of voters, but we gravitate to low taxes, small government, patriotism, personal responsibility, the right to speak freely, the right to self defense, the right to be left alone, and espouse common sense. We oppose the imposition of parasitism, socialism, and political correctness religion. You should be able to find more than enough from that list to join with us. If not, you are a liberal.