They do. I wasn't telling anyone what their interests are. I was describing what conservatives think based on the definition of the word.

If people are pro-gay rights or pro-equality, they are no longer "conservative" on those issues. They are progressive. They are pro-change instead of pro-tradition.

If that was the case, the circus that is US politics wouldn't exist.

Doesn't really matter which side you're on. If you're on the left it's obvious that more than 99% of the conservative voters are voting against their own (at least economic) interests. If you're on the right the democratic voters are sheeple and slaves to the lamestream media. I'm not trying to hide my affiliation, but the phrasing on either side is obviously pointing to the same logic. The vast majority of voters are followers, determining votes by proxy of affiliation of people they trust, rather than the complete platform of their candidate.