In US Politics, "conservative" often means someone who believes in small government and less regulation. Regulations tend to take a lot of money to comply with

In US Politics, "conservative" often means someone who believes in small government and less regulation. Regulations tend to take a lot of money to comply with, making it difficult for small businesses to compete with larger ones. So it is in small business owners' interests to support candidates that claim to be in favor of removing regulatory restrictions. Which tends to be a Republican talking point (whether or not they actually do anything to advance the cause once elected)