GOP Moderates Are Learning the Wrong Lessons from 2024—and Risk Losing Everything in 2026 – RedState
This column really has two audiences. The first is moderate Republicans who are getting in the way of major fiscal reforms necessary to correct decades of financial irresponsibility. The second is Republican leadership who, in all honesty, are in a tough position trying to herd a bunch of unruly cats with personality disorders ranging from extreme anxiety to a desire to fight everything that moves.
Throughout this entire chaotic budget fight over the One Big Beautiful Bill, a dangerous delusion has begun creeping back into the Republican Party, especially among the moderate class and some in GOP leadership. It’s this belief they are getting once again that they won’t be able to win and stay in power if they don’t moderate on some of their positions. //
Trump didn’t win the presidency by compromising on his positions. Republicans didn’t retake the Senate by tacking to the center. The House didn’t hold together by hedging on tough issues. Conservative ideas won because voters rejected the Democrats’ failures and backed the vision Republicans offered. Republicans, in a moment of rare competence, had plans. The Democrats had fear.
Moderates want you to believe otherwise. They’re pushing to water down conservative reforms, cut deals on spending, avoid social issues, and retreat from the cultural battles that defined the campaign. Why? Because they think it’ll save their seats in the 2026 midterms. They’re even now still floating the idea that Roe v. Wade being overturned was bad and that Planned Parenthood funding is an issue we should let slide.
Medicaid reform? Don’t touch it. Budget cuts? Political suicide, they claim.
But if 2022 taught us anything, it’s that poor candidates, not conservative ideas, hurt the GOP’s momentum. And while the GOP should have won in Georgia, Arizona, and Pennsylvania, they didn’t because the candidates were terrible and were awful messengers of the alternative Republicans promised.
And in 2024, conservative messaging delivered wins across the board. There is zero evidence that elected Republicans trimming conservative principles from their governing style helps them win. None. The voters who turned out for Trump didn’t do so because they wanted moderation. They did it because they wanted action on the multiple issues that came with Democratic governance under the Biden administration. //
I’ll be blunt: Moderate politicians didn’t get us Republican governance. Conservatives did. And moderate voters looked between the progressive and conservative politicians and decided that the conservative ones had the best ideas for getting us out of the mess we were (and still are) in. //
Here’s what’s really happening: the moderates are scared. They’re afraid of being unpopular for five minutes on MSNBC and CNN. They’re afraid of upsetting entrenched interests. They’re afraid of standing firm on conservative values because they might get uncomfortable headlines.
But guess what? The voters who elected you don’t care about your cable news appearances. They care about results.
They care about whether you meant it when you said you’d cut the size of government. They care about whether you’ll hold the line on spending. They care about whether you’ll stand up for their values, not compromise them away to keep a seat warm.
The American people are tired of promises. They’re tired of Republicans winning elections only to govern like Democrats. I won’t go so far as to say they want bold, unapologetic leadership instead of political triangulation, but I will point out that they did elect Donald Trump twice. //
This isn’t about ideology for ideology’s sake. It’s about governing with integrity. Voters gave conservatives a mandate—so act like it. That means keeping our promises. That means following through. That means stop being afraid of doing what’s right just because it’s not easy.
You weren’t elected to be safe. You were elected to be bold. So grow a spine, get back in the fight, and give the voters the leadership they were promised. //
bocmatt
6 hours ago
I believe most of the "Moderates" are not moderates, they are Democrats who can't win in red areas so they run as Republicans. They MAY be moderate Dems at their core, but still are not reliable. Andrew Wikow calls them "the republican wing of the democratic party". Sounds about right.
Since McDaniel supports Whatley so strongly, many observers have wondered if there will really be any change at the RNC or if the misplaced spending priorities, use of crony consultants instead of folks who can actually get the job done, and fundraising failures will continue. Fortunately, with this restructuring Trump is bringing in Chris LaCivita as COO, and several RNC members who spoke with RedState on condition of anonymity expressed confidence that LaCivita will bring back the fiscal responsibility that's been missing. //
A-Nony-Mouse
8 months ago
"....Trump deserves to have the team he wants....."
basically she's saying that she was NOT on the Trump -- or America's -- team.....
CNN contributor and Democrat strategist Van Jones was impressed with model and rapper Amber Rose's speech, as were many who listened to her at the Republican National Convention on Monday.
Jones told CNN viewers that Rose's speech was "probably the most dangerous speech" for the Democrat party.
That was probably the most dangerous speech for the Democratic coalition. That is a young woman of color. She is describing the experience that a lot of people have — feeling that maybe, if you’re around too many liberals, you might get criticized too much or you might not be able to speak your mind, and she spoke to it really well. //
Van Jones
@VanJones68
·
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At the RNC this week, Amber Rose’s approach poses the biggest threat to the Democratic Party’s traditional coalition. If the GOP is trying to bust up the Democratic Party, Amber Rose is a bunker-busting bomb. 💣 😱 💣
#GOP #RNC #RNC2024 #Trump2024 #Biden2024 #BidenHarris2024… Show more
12:22 PM · Jul 16, 2024
January 09, 2018
After 35 years, the consent decree that prohibited the Republican National Committee (RNC) from engaging in ballot security activities wasterminated by a federal judge. RNLA Chair John Ryder, former General Counsel to the RNC, stated:
Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey ended the consent decree that had banned the Republican National Committee from engaging in activities to ensure that elections are open, fair, and honest since 1982. Despite years and much money spent searching for evidence of Republican voter suppression, the Democratic National Committee could not present evidence to the court sufficient for the consent decree to remain in effect. We applaud the fact that the RNC may now, on the same, lawful, non-discriminatory basis as other political organizations, ensure that every eligible voter is able to vote and that the votes of ineligible voters are not counted. //
While the consent decree has been in effect, other Republican organizations, such as the RNLA, NRCC, NRSC, Republican state parties, and other groups, have worked to ensure that elections are open, fair, and honest. As Mr. Ryder noted, we look forward to a new era where the RNC can, if it so chooses, be a part of this effort to protect the right to vote of every eligible voter.
Since the announcement that Ronna McDaniel would be stepping down as chair of the Republican National Committee, the top question that's been asked over and over is, "What are they going to do about election integrity and ballot fraud?" The second most-asked question has been, "When are they going to hire Scott Presler?" New co-chair Lara Trump answered both of those questions Friday morning. //
Partnering with Presler (who contributes the occasional column here at RedState when he has the time) is a no-brainer for the RNC, and this is another sign that it's an entirely new day over at RNC headquarters. //
AdeleInTexas
34 minutes ago
Moving to aggressively check voting problems in real-time and [honest] ballot harvesting is the best possible strategy. Looks like the RNC finally read the playbook and is bringing in the right coaches and players.
A true leader who understands politics is someone who understands his voters’ priorities and then maneuvers electorally at the ballot box and within his party caucus to deliver on those priorities. That is the exact opposite of Mitch McConnell’s legacy. The people he represents, the nation, and the GOP are all weaker because of his “leadership.” The GOP will pick a new leader, and we can only pray he doesn’t even vaguely resemble McConnell.
Mitch McConnell was correct in saying he has many faults. Misunderstanding politics was perhaps the worst of them.
This is one of the dumbest, most counter-productive immigration deals I've ever seen, which means is absolutely a perfect representation of the modern GOP. What is the point of voting for this?
Greg Price @greg_price11
·
Right now on the Senate floor: Sen. Lindsey Graham, Todd Young, Dan Sullivan, Joni Ernst, and Mitt Romney are trying to confirm by unanimous consent the military promotions that @TTuberville is blocking until the Pentagon stops funding the killing of unborn babies.
7:18 PM · Nov 1, 2023
all the tags from https://b.plas.ml
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