In the Northeast and the West Coast, Republicans have difficulty being elected to statewide office unless they are moderate. We have to work with what we have and try to move the political center of gravity to the right.
A similar problem for Democrats with the South, but on the other side of the political spectrum. The US Senator (D-Georgia) Miller is a great conservative, and Democrats know they cannot elect a Barbara Boxer or a Ted Kennedy in Georgia.
The fly-over country will always be more conservative, and in those states, Republicans can elect superb conservatives to both statewide and federal levels.