If they are at all representative of the party itself, their views were also different in the past. The views of an average republican from 2006, on many, many subjects don't look much like those of an average republican from 2020.

It's the consequence of a big tentpole party embracing it's loony fringe. Many party members will change their views to whatever the party tells them, even if it tells them that black is white and down is up.

The message is - don't look up