How Democrats continue to get votes

It is amazing to me that Democrats can get votes from fairly conservative voters, but they do. I first began learning about how this happen by talking to my grandmother. My grandmother was against abortion, against high taxes, and believed in small government. So why did she vote for Democrats in every election except 80 and 84? She told me that she was a Southern Democrat here entire life, and would be one until the day she died. I still think of her as a Southern Democrat. Just as I think of Zell Miller.
One thing I know about this example is that, Grandma was very involved in her own life, and the lives of her family members. She never had a lot of time to research what the canidates she voted for, voted for themselves. So when the shift of the party's happened in the 50's, she heard little about it or probably didn't care. She had children to take care of at the time. During that time the Democrats who were conservative left in favor of the Republicans. This is a monumental event in our political history. But no one ever talks about it when the speak about the past. You never hear anyone talk about all the Republicans that voted for the Civil Rights Bill, even though a Democrat, Johnson, proposed it. He couldn't get the Democrats to vote for it. And for all you Libs, This was long after what I spoke about earlier. So I would like to encourage everyone to know whom you vote for in upcoming elections with the link above. You may be surprised, or you may not, but you will be informed. http://www.issues2000.org/default.htm .
John Oliver Benton III

NOTE: This is such an important issue, this link is permanently located half way in the left side bar !