IMO, the gob of conservatives is to forward conservatism. No more or less. I will try to avoid the Romney arguement here, but it’s not easy.
If we cut our own throats to achieve political power, I fail to see the point. The GOP has played Conservs for decades. They and we are two ships mid Pacific. One bound for China, One to the USA.
This election, unfortunately, we need eachother. But what of the next? The drift will be even further.