Thats the part I really dont understand. If you are only supporting them to get something you want, why consider yourself a conservative at all? If you take the label of a group, you are associating yourself with all of that groups ideas. And unlike with liberals where, at least in the US, most of the idiot fringe is kept out of the party platform, conservatives seem to embrace terrible ideologoy for political expediency, and I simply don't understand why someone would want to consider themselves one of them, especially in regards to a political debate ( I can understand identity politics on a social and practical level, but that doesnt seem like it should apply here).
I dont pretend that any of the politicians I vote for represent me. I vote for them because I think they are the most likely to push positions I support. Unless I am actually running for office, where again association has practical impact and where I would associate with whichever group gives me the best chance of success, why would I willingly adopt such a label during a political discourse?
It is especially confusing when I see people label themselves not just with a broad ideological association but with an explicit part status. I am honestly curious what drives people to do this, on either side of the aisle. Its like watching football fans argue that they are LITERALLY red sox or yankees, even though they don't play any baseball, instead of just people who support a given team.