re: I think a majority of Republicans realize that this (anti-stem cell research) is a Luddite view
"I think they also realize they need the position to keep the fundamentalists on board. "
Well, there are real moral issues involved.
Suppose the topic instead was plant "stem cells"- say growing walnuts on fir trees. Considering that some imagine that they are trees, they might get little upset about this.
Personally I look toward to time when instead tattoos people are growing third arms [as depicted in a sfi book]- but I'm also willing to wait until we are ready for it.