I can understand how you feel. Though I was registered Independent and never Republican, I once considered myself a conservative a voted Republican. It slowly changed for me over the course of a few years. I haven't abandoned a few of my conservative views, but I have abandoned any hope for the Republican party. I was making the ideological transition prior to 2008, but seeing how Republicans have been since has pushed me the rest of the way over. I will never claim Democrats are perfect. But I will argue everyday and twice on Sunday they are in general better for the country.