Some do, some don't.
Minding other people's business is electoral death.
Dear Jim Noble,
It is true that the most "radical" version of any social conservative issue will not gain 51% support in the electorate. Thus, 51% of the electorate, at this time and for the foreseeable future, would never agree to an absolute ban on abortion, including chemical abortions occurring from certain forms of birth control. Neither would 51% of the electorate agree to legislate a ban on any and all formal contractual relationships between homosexuals.
But polls show regularly that majorities, even fairly hefty majorities of, say, 65%, would support a ban on all medical abortions except in cases of the life of the mother (not health), rape, incest, and severe genetic deformity.
I'm a "radical" pro-lifer, and I'd go farther.
However, such a ban, with those exceptions, would outlaw 96% of surgical abortions. For me, that's a pretty good start.
And in many states, bans on "homosexual marriage" have passed easily, because these bans have not prevented the ability of the state to set up alternative legal arrangements for homosexuals.
Thus, the heart of social conservative issues will usually carry the day with the electorate in most states. It is the Democrats who are afraid of the ballot box, and who endeavor to nullify the will of the people through judicial activism. Even in states like Massachusetts and Maryland, the liberal scum Dems have tried to prevent the people from voting on the issue of homosexual marriage.
Folks are generally against abortion, and believe it should be generally illegal, with exceptions. Folks are generally against homosexual marriage, and believe it should be illegal, but that homosexuals should be able to order their lives according to alternative legal regimes.
As long as the mainstream of social conservatives are willing to accept half-loafs and slices in the meantime, social conservatives can readily build coalitions and alliances that advance our causes.
With abortion, of course, we will have to overcome the satanic regime of Roe, and this election has set us back tremendously. But that's not because people voted up or down on the issue of abortion on demand, but rather a by-product of the failure of the Republican Party to act like... conservative Republicans.
sitetest
Going too far with an issue is what causes electoral death. For instance, if we limit restrictions on abortions like banning partial birth abortions or parental notification, it is a huge winning issue. Even if we just exclude things like life of mother, rape, incest, it is still a winning issue. It is only when they try to ban all abortions with life of mother as the only exception where the pro-'choice' position becomes the majority. Likewise, with gay marriage. It is a big winning issue if you are just wanting to limit marriage between a man and a woman. But when you also try to ban civil unions you lose support. For the most part, social conservative issues were a winner in this election. There were three states where ballot initiatives went too far and probably hurt us.
But really, this election was backlash against Bush mostly. The MSM was very successful the last few years at beating Bush down, and Bush did not take the attacks seriously enough until it was too late. The MSM media talked down a great economy and talked down a semi-successful war effort and was able to drive Bush's support way down.