You must not have watched the Democratic presidential primary debates, when candidates spoke to a national audience about reparations for slavery, drug legalization, sex work legalization, a universal basic income, wealth taxes, banning private health insurance and so much more. Obama was a transitionary figure who oversaw a lot of changes (like same sex marriage, marijuana legalization, the rise of BLM and the Me Too movement) but the party as a whole has kept running downfield, leaving President Obama in the dust.
If you watched those debates - or paid close attention to the direction the Republican party has been moving - you'd understand why your argument that they are "slightly better Republicans" sounds outdated to the point of absurdity.
But a lot of voters do and a lot of the party does. That was not true 10 or 20 or 30 years ago. It is true now. And who cares if the presidential nominee is some lefty or not? Until 50ish senators and a couple hundred representatives are on the same page it doesn't matter. We're moving in that direction but it's not going to be freaking instantaneous. At least we're not ruled by blue dogs and Clintons anymore, and are moving in the opposite direction.
The party has shifted considerably in the last 4-6 years. Democrats have had virtually no power at the national level during that time. At the state and local level, we have seen significant changes towards things like drug laws, climate change, minimum wage, healthcare, etc.
I really, really, really hope so. (I'm in a very Republican state, so I haven't noticed.) That would be great, and just how that kind of change will have to happen.
But watching the primary process, I still don't see it.
I watched those debates. Reparations and free healthcare for illegal aliens. The stupidest possible positions to take, as those talking points will be replayed ad nauseam in the Swing states starting in September.
If you watched those debates - or paid close attention to the direction the Republican party has been moving - you'd understand why your argument that they are "slightly better Republicans" sounds outdated to the point of absurdity.