Originally Posted by MS Fowler

I believe the republican base is composed primarily of conservatives. They will not back any republican party "leader" who strays from the historic stance.
I think ( and hope) the recent trend to neo-con has run its course. They were a total disaster. The Republican party has had its best success when it took a conservative stand. It lost its way when it went neo. ( Compare republicans as led by Reagan and then Bush (both)).