What happened is that Republicans some time ago realized that they cannot get elected anymore simply by offering tax cuts to the wealthy corporations (which is all they have to offer), so they started courting the extreme nutcases on the right as well as the religious fanatics. It worked to a degree, but they soon realized they simply could not win without caving into the demands of thse freaks, and the freaks began to realize the hold they now have on the Republican Party. Simply put, they made a pact with the devil and now they are stuck with it.