Actually, I didn't begin to become a conservative until I was in my late 20's, but your point is well taken. If a person is in their 40's and still supporting Democratic candidates, it's pretty hard to believe that she is suddenly a rock-ribbed conservative (short of a dramatic life-changing event).
My main concern is her judicial philosophy: is she going to be an originalist, or a consensus builder as she is characterized by president of the Dallas Bar Association, Tim Mountz? Wasn't this the one of the main problems with Sandra Day O'Conner?
"a person is in their 40's and still supporting Democratic candidates, it's pretty hard to believe that she is suddenly a rock-ribbed conservative (short of a dramatic life-changing event)"
I guess Democratic senator Zell Miller might disagree with your protest. As I recall he did a pretty good job of telling us what it meant to be a conservative. Don't you agree?
And that's all what counts. I don't care who the nomination is as long as he understands and abides to the original intent of the U.S. Constitution. All other matters are extraneous.