Great Read. I have been training new candidates for public office for 50 years. And, at the top of my message is: If you run as "Republican Lite" and just say the other person is just "bad" you will lose. Fact is, that as you aptly point out, you must stand for something. Understand the local issues, take a stand, and you will shift the dialogue. If Republicans have a choice between voting for the Republican they know, and voting former someone who acts like one, they will choose the former every time. And, non-affiliated voters will just plain not vote.