It's why Democratic candidates have to run more centrist in Red States and Republican candidates have to run more centrist in Blue states. The best thing to do is aim for small human rights victories toward the center because when you can get people closer to the center then the center left doesn't seem so strange any more.
Some might call me a sell out but when I'm talking to a conservative person I bring up strawman arguments like Look, I'm not anti-military or anti-police. I'm a centrist (even though I'm not). I believe in capitalism and believe that small business owners deserve the same breaks as big oil (true). I then transition toward opportunity and education and by then most people seem open to hearing about things like Obamacare or why we should return to the Clinton tax numbers (I bring up how good the economy was back then). I then remind people that we are nowhere near Communism and anybody who thinks we are hasn't seen how extremist communism truly is.
People shut down if they think you're a leftist extremist so I find common ground on issues that I am more centrist on and then branch out from there by explaining why progressive values work. I feel like I've had success with people in my inner circle when I do this.
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