The thing I've found over the years is if you ask people what they really want you find they are conservative. Why these same people continue to vote democrat, I have no idea.
Not all Republicans are good either. I vote the great majority Republican, but there are a couple of Democrats that I voted for because the Republican cantidates weren't the best people I felt. There are some educational liberals that I won't vote for either because of their agenda against public education, but I don't consider that as my sole basis for voting.