You make some very good points. This is the kind of dilemma which is very common, but which the pastoral letter does not address.
As far as your own choices, I would avoid making pragmatic decisions. That happened in Connecticut a few years back when all the conservative Republicans got together and voted for Joe Lieberman in place of Lowell Weicker, based on the same line of reasoning you mentioned. Well, clearly the pragmatic considerations did not work out quite as planned. Lieberman is still around many years later, and in the meantime, Weicker went on to become governor.
I just found this on Spirit Daily -- live link there----
DAILY NEWS BRIEF FROM CATHOLIC WORLD NEWS
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Two bishops, two approaches to issue of politics
Boston, May. 14 (CWNews.com) - Several more US bishops have joined with their brother bishops in addressing the newly relevant question of what to do about Catholic politicians who publicly dissent from the Church's teachings.
Archbishop John Vlazny of Portland, Oregon, said in column in his local diocesan newspaper, that Catholics who stand in public opposition to "serious Church teaching" should refrain from receiving Communion. However, he said he will resist efforts to have refuse the sacraments to those who seek them.
"Speaking as a pastor, it is less abrasive to refuse to baptize a child or to marry a couple when the request is made beforehand than it is to refuse Holy Communion during a public liturgical service," he said. "The latter places a questionable burden on all who are ministers of the Eucharist, both ordinary and extraordinary. Public perception will inevitably weigh heavily in favor of the 'victim' of the refusal rather than the church minister trying to be faithful to church policy."
The archbishop also said, "As a pastor, I find it difficult to make a public judgment that any person is 'unfit' or 'unworthy' for the reception of the sacrament." However, he added that he believes every person can make that judgment for themselves.
When asked by The Oregonian newspaper whether artificial birth control is a mortal sin requiring the participant to refrain from Communion, he replied, "Issues about sin are always difficult. But with birth control, you're not taking the life of an innocent human being."
In his column, Archbishop Vlazny also said that Catholics may vote for pro-abortion politicians if they are not doing so because of the pro-abortion stance, but if "other candidates fail significantly in some matters of great importance, for example, war and peace, human rights and economic justice."
Meanwhile, Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs, Colorado, also issued a statement on the issue to the faithful of his diocese in which he called on them to "take courage and proclaim the Gospel of Life to those who will stand for elected office this fall." He called on Catholics to act according to their consciences, but also to form their consciences properly "in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator" and according to the truth.
Bishop Sheridan said a false distinction has been made between the realms of faith and politics and that when Catholics enter public office or go to the polls to vote, "they take their consciences with them."
He added, "Anyone who professes the Catholic faith with his lips while at the same time publicly supporting legislation or candidates that defy God's law makes a mockery of that faith and belies his identity as a Catholic."
Addressing the issue of publicly dissenting Catholic politicians, Sheridan did not mince his words: "Any Catholic politicians who advocate for abortion, for illicit stem cell research or for any form of euthanasia ipso facto place themselves outside full communion with the Church and so jeopardize their salvation. Any Catholics who vote for candidates who stand for abortion, illicit stem cell research, or euthanasia suffer the same fateful consequences."
He added that these Catholics "may not receive Holy Communion" until they have recanted and been reconciled with God and the Church.