Complex sentence: Dutton, in his party history, takes a more qualified view, suggesting that in spite of Thorpe's bold style and charisma, "the party drifted without a sense of conviction and underlying purpose... (and was) dominated by tactics rather than ideas".
Split into simpler sentences: Dutton, in his party history, takes a more qualified view. In spite of Thorpe's bold style and charisma, during his leadership "the party drifted without a sense of conviction and underlying purpose... (and was) dominated by tactics rather than ideas".