There are two elements in the abortion issue, and the "gay" marriage issue is the same. They are rooted in the morality of the issue. Abortion is baby killing.
The first element is the issue itself, which is always an issue, even if the courts have preempted it.
The second is the qualification, integrity, and personal character of the candidate as a candidate on other issues such as economic/ freedom issues. A baby-killing pervert, which is what pro-choice liberals are, is unsound on any issue as a candidate. They declare themselves amoral and it produces people who think they are above any moral standard or law, as is being illustrated by the tax cheats Obama is appointing.
Such candidates think there is no higher standard than themselves, not divine, not morality, not the constitution, not the public good. That is why they are always unacceptable. When it comes to economic and freedom issues, someone who sees nothing wrong with the torture killing of babies is driven only by self serving, and self interest, since that is the only basis for this infanticide.
Nobody is trying to redefine conservatism, Steele wants to redefine the image of the party. I’d rather share a platform with someone who thinks 90% like me than consistently lose elections and live under the rule of someone who think 2% like me.