It doesn't necessarily have to, but then you have someone like Trisha Cotham in NC who switched parties to give the GOP a veto-proof majority and has been voting with them in lockstep ever since.
If they weren't planning on acting as Republicans they could just as easily become independents.
Would it matter? If they died living well according to Jesus's teachings they'd be rewarded in heaven. Their mortal death would be inconsequential.
That said, they could probably survive as many homeless do through donations and begging.