yeah i think the scale tipping moment was mccain putting palin on the ticket. thats when the tea party / christian coalition / republican tardosphere realized that they had the potential to run the whole democracy. they tasted real influence and liked it.
also they are 100% taking pages from the mormon playbook to do so, right down to seeding their own christian army by creating religious schools to raise the human garbage this decision will churn out in Drufftardia, USA.