Most of the Republicans who aren't down with the social conservative/anti-immigration stances of much of the GOP are already Democrats, or "Presidential Democrats" who vote GOP in local races.
I don't know how this meme keeps getting life.
Formerly Republican states now being Democratic states does NOT mean that people who were always Republicans there aren't Republicans anymore! You're always going to need independents to win. For example, in Maine, the percentage of people who register as Republicans, Democrats and Independents hasn't changed much for a long, long time ... It's just that our independents (who would, say, vote for Snowe and Obama) decide our elections. Republicans and Democrats are still voting for their candidates or staying home.
