There’s no riddle to this at all. It’s very difficult to get excited about a political party that lacks the courage of their convictions. As much as it sucks to say it, the Dems consistently deliver solid results to their base. The GOP does not. The Dems consistently advance their statist agenda. The GOP fails miserably to advance anything resembling an alternative agenda. The Dems have long-term goals and shamelessly and ruthlessly employ unethical, even criminal means to advance these goals. The Republicans have no discernable goals and consistently surrender.
You’ve nailed that one.
Take the whole homo marriage issue.. if it were a Dem governor facing a court ruling he didn’t like, he’d continue to fight the ruling tooth and nail.
GOP governor with a ruling he doesn’t like? He folds like a cheap deck of cards. It’s disheartening to the base, and sends a message.