You've said "religious right" about a gazillion times. Specifically - what the hell do you consider "religious right"?
The religious right is the vocal minority within the Republican party that insists that Republican candidates adhere to their moral and cultural norm (religious litmus tests). Namely that they are protestant (mostly white) and willing to enact legislation that supports their religious agenda. The religious agenda is pro-life, demands special treatment for protestant Christian religious doctrine, and is often at odds with racial and gender equality. Their presence in the Republican ranks has often been the ammunition Democrats have used against Republicans when leveling charges of Racism and bigotry at our Party.
Now realistic or not fear of the religious right keeps many of the traditionally conservative groups like catholics and Blacks out of the republican party. A return to allowing the Religious right to dominate the agenda of the Republican party will destroy the inroads republicans have made with catholics, Blacks and other groups who share our beliefs but are put off by what they see as an extremely bigoted portion of the Republican party. Now if the Religious right would moderate their rhetoric so that these new groups would feel more comfortable we may be able to really start the dismantling of the Democratic party.
Now there are going to be crazed responses about how the religious right is not bigoted nor are they interested in rolling back the rights of women or blacks but that is going to fall on deaf ears. This is not a war about truth the war with Democrats is about perception and the way the religious right is perceived hurts the party. Lets hide that particular light under a bundle until such time the Republicans frame the debate in America. We still have a long way to go before we can do that.