He thinks republicans will support him. However he will find out different eventually.

I remember reading "Blinded by the Right" by David Brock, who used to write right wing hit pieces, such as the book (supposedly) about Anita Hill (He has since apologized to her), but he found as soon as he diverged even slightly form the (republican) party line, he was abandoned and ostracized and all those who he thought were his friends abandoned him and he foudn he wasn't really accepted at all, but it was all lip service.

Anyway, I believe this guy will eventually find himself in a similar position.