Define what the values of the Party are first and foremost and then extend the tent to anyone who is willing to live with those values. If you are not, get the hell out. Sorry, but we lost because we threw a bone to the members of the party not willing to live with conservative values. Meanwhile, the democrats ran to their base and, small wonder, won big. We need to stop running from our base and start running to them.
To elaborate further. . .the core values of the party is what establishes the “tent.” For example, the conservative values the Reagan espoused built a strong platform. People then came to that platform and under that tent because it was something to believe in and it won them over. But if you build a tent to try to extend it to cover people who are standing around and standing for nothing, then you are doomed.
I live in the northeast and I have no idea why RINOs are in the party to begin with. After getting the "moderate" they have been clammering for all these years they turn around and vote in droves for a socialist. Now they want a seat at the table to tell us what direction they want the party to steer (socialism lite?), sorry but no thanks. The movement need to be energized with people committed to our ideas, not with these "moderates". They will only destroy conservativism as they are not committed to it.