You overlook the reason conservatives fail in politics lately. What put everything in jeopardy was not the rant of some rancher but the cowardice in failing to stand up for principle, to throw him under the bus, and to let the Left play their game of gotcha to misdirect the issues.
When the Left determines how the game is played, the Right loses every time. Everyone who fled should have stood up and said, hey, the point is government abuse. Period.
The last election proved beyond argument that the right id filled with people who will run and hide when principle is needed. Right here were poster after poster openly saying principle did not matter and ‘purity’ was something evil/the cause of failure.
These people also said “You go to war with the army you have”. How then does said Army fight hiding behind the nearest rock? Hod does one fight without principle? What is the fight based on?
‘Winning’
And what did they win?
After losing the big chair, their unprincipled victors are now in DC calling for amnesty, screwing our vets out of benefits, trying to ignite WW3 and hiding behind rocks of their own every time Lord Barry speaks.
That’s what they won. And that’s why principle does and always will matter.