It’s not a word, it’s a principle. They haven’t changed and they cannot change, whatever the political climate is. You look for the candidate who is the most in tune with those principles......not the one that offers the best option to win.
If you look to DC for validation of anything you would be lost.
If you are willing to shake the principles to gain victory then yes, you are no longer a Conservative.
Good luck with this cycle and we’ll see who comes out. I’ll vote for anyone who opposes Hillary or Bernie.
It’s a bit like Reagan said, “We haven’t deserted the Conservatives; the Conservatives have deserted us.”