Somewhere along the line conservatives seem to have lost their confidence and lost their nerve. No longer do we support a nominee who is across-the-board conservative.
Instead, too many support the half-liberal, half-conservative hermaphrodite candidates, Rudy, McCain and the Huckster.
If you settle for something less than what you really want in a candidate, you reduce your chances of getting someone who better represents your views.
This was demonstrated, very well, in the California recall election of 2003.