Republicans say the issue also helps motivate their conservative base.

Your conservative base needs to get something for the hard work they've done for you.

They contend that it might even hurt the Senator among his conservative base.

They raise the question of whether party is ready, or willing, to make appeals beyond a narrow conservative base.

The president's statement pleased many in his party's conservative base.

The strategist said the former mayor was setting the stage for the changes he would have to make to reach the more conservative Republican base.

To win, members of both parties say, the president must reach out well beyond his conservative base.

Mr. Bush seemed more content to play to his conservative base.

Almost no one thinks pressure from the party's conservative base was much of a factor.

And for a brief window of time, the pressure to appease the party's conservative base would be off.