Some in the GOP desperately desire to marginalize social/Christian conservatives.
One way to do that is move so far to the center that social conservatives are forced to find a third party that is not wholly at odds with their beliefs.
Then both the "moderate" GOPs and the Dems will have succeeded in eliminating social conservatives as a constituency they must patronize with an occasional bone.
And they know there will not be enough that go over to a third party to actually challenge the two party monopoly on politics in this country.
The fix will be in when the GOP quietly abandons the pro-life plank. As can be seen here, they're already abandoning family values in embracing the homosexual movement.
I confidently predict the GOP will abandon the pro-life plank by 2008.