It does make sense, at least from your ideological perspective. Some of us are working to make the country more center-right than right so I guess I wouldn't personally understand where you are coming from. Personally I want to just nudge Cali a little the right so that moderate Republicans can take over the state legislature and the state will elect more people like Arnold - and never have to dabble around with the Tom McClintocks, Gray Davises, and Cruz Bustamentes ever again. That having been said, due to my partisan persuasions, I think electing a Republican is more important than anything else so whatever happens that helps elect Republicans is fine with me. My personal preference is just more centrist than yours.
I applaud you for thinking strategically though and actually being more concerned with getting people of like mind elected rather than the emotional nonsense that so many on the right use to guide them in elections.
I suspect that in Indiana you would join me in support of Mitch Daniels for Governor over Eric Miller. Daniels is very much a conservative... but of course, you can never be conservative enough for the religious right. So they've put up Miller to challenge Daniels but I don't think its going anywhere.. at least I hope not. But of course you have the Millerites running around saying that Daniels is "too moderate" and that "the base" will stay home if he is nominated, blah blah blah. (Keeping in mind that Daniels is probably more conservative than McClintock and Toomey combined)
The far right will never be satisfied and this is why I caution my friends here who are moderate-conservatives not to give in on the issue of Specter. Sure all of us agree that Specter is not perfect. We would all like him to be more conservative on things. But he is a symbol of the ideological diversity that we need to have in our Party. If we let him get trampled on - don't surprised if you or someone you support is next on the hit list.
I think in primary elections, there's nothing wrong with voting for the candidate that best suits one's ideology. However, in a state like California that is so completely dominated by democrats (and liberal one's at that) it's important to think strategically and vote for someone who can successful nudge the state at least a little further to the right.
The difference between Schwarzenegger and Specter is that Schwarzenegger, although liberal on some social issues, is true-blue when it comes to economic issues whereas Specter doesn't really deliver on any front. Being against tax cuts is acceptable if you favor balanced budgets. But Specter votes against tax cuts and the balanced budget amendment and for spending increases and pork.
Voinovich is an example of someone who was wary of tax cuts, but only because he favors balanced budgets. That's an understandable, reasonable position (and a fairly conservative one).
I don't know if that helps to clarify my position any.
