Most conservatives one encounters here seem to populate the moral low
ground.

Not really.
More conservatives consider themselves
infallibly right and righteous. That's the conservative weakness.
More liberals consider themselves intellectually superior and better read.
That's the liberal weakness.

Neither stereotype proves to be absolutely true, but notice that the "Bible
belt" does tend to be red- while university professors, etc, are often
criticized by the right for being too "liberal".