Well a lot of us started as a Democrat. After Carter, Reagan showed me that Republicans were the answer -- Never looked back. I don't agree with the pap part. While I think the gun owners had more to do with the 1994 victory than Newt, his policy decisions were usually spot on Conservative - Why do you think the media hounded him so hard?
The fact that Newt, and Delay, gave up and retired gives me pause. Reagan would have never shrank from the fight, and the media hated Reagan almost as much as Bush. The marches against Reagan went into the millions.
Who do you like to pick up where Reagan left off?
There are millions of well-grounded conservatives in this country that are great candidates for future leadership. It's our job to raise up a new generation of those leaders to replace the failed leaders of the past like Newt.
It hasn't been held against you either has it? ; )
So what if many of us have been blessed with seeing the light all of our lives.
Our does that make us less "worldly"?
I have often wondered if they didn't retire ... but temporarily withdrew to fight another day. Just a thought.