An issue doesn't need to be on the ballot for it to be a hindrance to your ability to secure votes. If the Republicans party made an official statement that it no longer took issue with gay marriage for example, I think that would net conservatives a lot of votes. That fight is over, or rather it is if you want to keep winning. Conservatives need to shed themselves of it completely and try to win back some of the people they lost to it.
You realize, that you are asking people nothing less than to turn away from what their faith teaches them in order to win elections.
If that happens, I wouldn't put any "faith" in any person, or party, who were to do this.
Nor, would I want to associate myself with people who think that winning elections is worth the loss of their faith, or their expression of it.
You talk about running on 2A rights, but what about 1A rights?
No, I think you are dead wrong about this.
As stated before, the Right didn't run on these issues, implied or not, it didn't happen.
You can be entitled to your own opinions,bit not your own facts.
Not one anti planned parenthood ad was run, not one anti gay marriage ad was run, not one anti unisex bathroom ad was run.
It didn't happen, and in Texas, one place it did not happen, had it's largest turnout of a midterm ever with 53%.
That still means that 47% decided it wasn't worth their time and effort.
Why?
I think religion had very little to do with it.
Again, the public at large sees both parties as thieves and are either voting for the one that steals the least from them, or one that will give them the most goodies out of the stolen loot.
53% see it that way.
47% said, why bother?