Bush era out, America First in: Party leaders describe the new GOP, populism and grassroots

The Republican Party has gone through a transformation over the years, from economic prosperity and a Cold War with the Soviet Union under former President Reagan, to post 9/11 legislation and conflict in Afghanistan and the Middle East under President George W. Bush, and now the "America First" populist movement under President Donald Trump. 

The GOP took a populist turn with Trump in 2016 when the former president ran on issues such as bringing back manufacturing jobs from overseas and building a wall on the southern border. 

"Conservative ideals are really American ideals," Arizona GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake told Just the News. "I think we are growing that and the reason it [the GOP] is becoming a big tent and growing is because President Trump has found a way to connect with the American people and explain these problems."

According to UVA Center for Politics, roughly nine million voters who voted for former President Obama in 2012 cast their vote for Trump in 2016.

In the past, the Democratic Party has done better in terms of winning the votes of young people and minority communities. As of late, the GOP seems to be making progress in the Latino community, with trends showing more Hispanics may vote GOP in 2024. 

"It's because the Republican Party is now appealing to individuals," said Larry Ward, the chairman of the Constitutional Rights PAC. "We don't care about someone's background, skin color, etc. Our ideas and messaging appeal to everyday Americans such as getting inflation down, having an affordable cost of living and actually being able to achieve the American Dream."

Another change in the new Republican Party seems to be a more "anti-war" and less interventionist approach when it comes to foreign policy. Regarding the war in Ukraine, many conservative politicians have been staunchly against getting involved, which partially led to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) being ousted as House speaker earlier this month. 

The House Freedom Caucus pledged in an August statement not to vote for a spending package that includes "any blank check for Ukraine in any supplemental appropriations bill.”

This is a stark difference from 2002 when only six House Republicans and one Republican senator voted against the war in Iraq that occurred under former President George W. Bush. The vote was actually the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq, giving President Bush the authority to wage war if he deemed it necessary, which did occur several months later. 

"The Republican Party is no longer the party of warmongers," Lake said. "We are the party of putting America First, growing our economy and peace and prosperity."

Going into 2024 with a presidential election coming up, leaders in the GOP have different ideas of what to campaign on and what the most important issues are to the American people.

"The economy is going to play a big factor going into 2024," said former Colorado state Senator Ted Harvey. "The price of food and gas is impacting everybody whether you are registered as a Democrat or a Republican."

Lake said that the top three issues to focus on going into 2024 are border security, energy independence and the economy because they are all connected.

"If we can secure our border and we can become energy independent and dominant again, immediately things are going to start looking better, and we're going to start seeing the economy improve."