i think they fear the tea party will hive itself off. so rather than risk this they have absorbed its ideas. power before sense.
but now they have learnt that absorbing these ideas makes the unelectable.
so they'll try to moderate them. but gradually so as to keep the edifice united.
meanwhile, the electorate is changing faster than the republican party.
my favourite post-election mental image has trump dressed as rambo trying to launch a revolution. that guy defines the problem with consummate ease.