And, just to add, there is a reason I'm not registered as a Republican. The reason is that I won't pledge allegiance to the Republican Party. I am a conservative registered as an Independent. I have pledged allegiance to conservatism before a political party. I use the Republican Party as a means to an end.
Someone can be both a conservative and a Republican, but the dualities of loyalty often conflict and since I'm not running for office I see no point in subjecting myself to that internal conflict.
I'm not either. Living in Illinois, I go to the polls on primary election day, they ask me which ballot I want, I tell them and they hand it to me. Nobody is a registered anything.
It's a crying shame we have to say "conservatives and Republicans" to call the tent to order. I can remember the day when the words were synonyms.
The very definition of a RINO is a liberal Republican.