Republican Party (United States)

=== Social issues ===
The Republican Party is generally associated with [[social conservative]] policies, although it does have dissenting centrist and [[Libertarianism in the United States|libertarian]] factions. The social conservatives support laws that uphold their [[traditional values]], such as [[opposition to same-sex marriage in the United States|opposition to same-sex marriage]], abortion, and marijuana.<ref name="Zelizer 2004 704–5">{{cite book|last=Zelizer|first=Julian E.|title=The American Congress: The Building of Democracy|url=https://archive.org/details/americancongress00juli|url-access=registration|year=2004|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|pages=[https://archive.org/details/americancongress00juli/page/704 704]–705|isbn=978-0547345505|access-date=June 17, 2015}}</ref> The Republican Party's positions on social and cultural issues are in part a reflection of the influential role that the [[Christian right]] has had in the party since the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Williams|first=Daniel K.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lqf3KBaqgI8C|title=God's Own Party: The Making of the Christian Right|date=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0199929061|language=en|access-date=November 13, 2021|archive-date=December 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215024742/https://books.google.com/books?id=lqf3KBaqgI8C|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Schnabel|first=Landon Paul|date=2013|title=When Fringe Goes Mainstream: A Sociohistorical Content Analysis of the Christian Coalition's Contract With The American Family and the Republican Party Platform|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/21567689.2012.752361|journal=Politics, Religion & Ideology|volume=14|issue=1|pages=94–113|doi=10.1080/21567689.2012.752361|s2cid=144532011|issn=2156-7689|access-date=November 13, 2021|archive-date=November 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113183413/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21567689.2012.752361|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=R. Lewis|first=Andrew|date=2019|title=The Inclusion-Moderation Thesis: The U.S. Republican Party and the Christian Right|url=https://oxfordre.com/politics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228637-e-665|website=Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics|language=en|doi=10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.665|isbn=978-0190228637|access-date=November 13, 2021|archive-date=April 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418225734/https://oxfordre.com/politics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228637-e-665|url-status=live}}</ref> Most conservative Republicans also oppose [[gun control]], [[affirmative action]], and [[illegal immigration]].<ref name="Zelizer 2004 704–5" /><ref>{{cite book|last=Chapman|first=Roger|title=Culture Wars: An Encyclopedia of Issues, Viewpoints, and Voices|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vRY27FkGJAUC|year=2010|publisher=M.E. Sharpe|page=passim|isbn=978-0765622501|access-date=June 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407060657/http://books.google.com/books?id=vRY27FkGJAUC|archive-date=April 7, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Abortion and embryonic stem cell research ====
The Republican position on [[Abortion in the United States|abortion]] has changed significantly over time.<ref name="Williams-2022" /><ref name="Williams-2015">{{Cite journal |last=Williams |first=Daniel K. |date=June 2015 |title=The Partisan Trajectory of the American Pro-Life Movement: How a Liberal Catholic Campaign Became a Conservative Evangelical Cause |journal=Religions |language=en |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=451–475 |doi=10.3390/rel6020451 |issn=2077-1444|doi-access=free }}</ref> During the 1960s and early 1970s, opposition to abortion was concentrated among members of the political left and the Democratic Party; most liberal Catholics — which tended to vote for the Democratic Party — opposed expanding abortion access while most conservative evangelical Protestants supported it.<ref name="Williams-2015" />

During this period, Republicans generally favored legalized abortion more than Democrats,<ref name="Halpern-2018">{{Cite news |last=Halpern |first=Sue |date=November 8, 2018 |title=How Republicans Became Anti-Choice |language=en |work=[[The New York Review of Books]] |url=https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2018/11/08/how-republicans-became-anti-choice/ |access-date=February 4, 2023 |issn=0028-7504 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204085532/https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2018/11/08/how-republicans-became-anti-choice/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Williams |first=Daniel K. |date=2011 |title=The GOP's Abortion Strategy: Why Pro-Choice Republicans Became Pro-Life in the 1970s |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-policy-history/article/abs/gops-abortion-strategy-why-prochoice-republicans-became-prolife-in-the-1970s/C7EC0E0C0F5FF1F4488AA47C787DEC01 |journal=Journal of Policy History |language=en |volume=23 |issue=4 |pages=513–539 |doi=10.1017/S0898030611000285 |s2cid=154353515 |issn=1528-4190 |access-date=July 4, 2023 |archive-date=July 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230704221201/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-policy-history/article/abs/gops-abortion-strategy-why-prochoice-republicans-became-prolife-in-the-1970s/C7EC0E0C0F5FF1F4488AA47C787DEC01 |url-status=live }}</ref> although significant heterogeneity could be found within both parties.<ref name="Taylor-2018">{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Justin |date=May 9, 2018 |title=How the Christian Right Became Prolife on Abortion and Transformed the Culture Wars |url=https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/evangelical-history/christian-right-discovered-abortion-rights-transformed-culture-wars/ |access-date=February 4, 2023 |website=[[The Gospel Coalition]] |language=en-US |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204085533/https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/evangelical-history/christian-right-discovered-abortion-rights-transformed-culture-wars/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Leading Republican political figures. including [[Richard Nixon]], [[Gerald Ford]], [[Ronald Reagan]], and [[George H. W. Bush]], took pro-choice positions until the early 1980s.<ref name="Halpern-2018" /> However, starting at this point, both George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan described themselves as pro-life during their presidencies.

In the 21st century, both [[George W. Bush]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bruni |first=Frank |date=January 23, 2000 |title=Bush Says He Supports the Party's Strong Anti-Abortion Stand |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/politics/camp/012300wh-gop-bush-platform.html |access-date=February 4, 2023 |website=[[The New York Times]] |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204085527/https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/politics/camp/012300wh-gop-bush-platform.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Donald Trump]] described themselves as "[[Anti-abortion movements|pro-life]]" during their terms. However, Trump stated that he supported the legality and ethics of abortion before his candidacy in 2015.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=David |date=May 5, 2022 |title=Trump the hero for anti-abortion movement after bending supreme court his way |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/05/trump-abortion-supreme-court |access-date=February 4, 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204085526/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/05/trump-abortion-supreme-court |url-status=live }}</ref>

Summarizing the rapid shift in the Republican and Democratic positions on abortion, Sue Halpern writes:<ref name="Williams-2022" /><blockquote>...in the late 1960s and early 1970s, many Republicans were behind efforts to liberalize and even decriminalize abortion; theirs was the party of reproductive choice, while Democrats, with their large Catholic constituency, were the opposition. Republican governor Ronald Reagan signed the California Therapeutic Abortion Act, one of the most liberal abortion laws in the country, in 1967, legalizing abortion for women whose mental or physical health would be impaired by pregnancy, or whose pregnancies were the result of rape or incest. The same year, the Republican strongholds of North Carolina and Colorado made it easier for women to obtain abortions. New York, under Governor [[Nelson Rockefeller]], a Republican, eliminated all restrictions on women seeking to terminate pregnancies up to twenty-four weeks gestation.... Richard Nixon, Barry Goldwater, Gerald Ford, and George H.W. Bush were all pro-choice, and they were not party outliers. In 1972, a Gallup poll found that 68 percent of Republicans believed abortion to be a private matter between a woman and her doctor. The government, they said, should not be involved...  </blockquote>Since the 1980s, opposition to abortion has become strongest in the party among [[Traditionalist Catholicism|traditionalist Catholics]] and conservative Protestant evangelicals.<ref name="Williams-2022" /><ref name="Taylor-2018" /><ref name="Abdelfatah-2022">{{Cite web |last=Abdelfatah |first=Rund |date=June 22, 2022 |title=Evangelicals didn't always play such a big role in the fight to limit abortion access |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/06/22/1106863232/evangelicals-didnt-always-play-such-a-big-role-in-the-fight-to-limit-abortion-ac |access-date=February 24, 2023 |website=[[National Public Radio]] |archive-date=February 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224184105/https://www.npr.org/2022/06/22/1106863232/evangelicals-didnt-always-play-such-a-big-role-in-the-fight-to-limit-abortion-ac |url-status=live }}</ref> With the possible exception of the [[ordeal of the bitter water]] in Numbers 5:11–31,<ref name="Bergant1992">{{cite book |last=Bergant |first=Dianne |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nj-AkOJ9wRQC&pg=PA156 |title=The Collegeville Bible Commentary: Based on the New American Bible: Old Testament |publisher=Liturgical Press |year=1992 |isbn=0814622100 |page=156}}</ref> [[Bible|the Bible]] does not mention the topic of abortion or explicitly take a position on the practice, although several verses [[Christianity and abortion|have been interpreted]] as supporting or opposing the ethics of abortion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Donnell |first=Paul |date=October 16, 2020 |title=What does the Bible really say about abortion? |url=https://religionnews.com/2020/10/16/what-does-the-bible-really-say-about-abortion/ |access-date=February 24, 2023 |website=Religion News Service |language=en-US |archive-date=February 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224183007/https://religionnews.com/2020/10/16/what-does-the-bible-really-say-about-abortion/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Initially, evangelicals were relatively indifferent to the cause of abortion and overwhelmingly viewed it as a concern that was [[Sectarianism|sectarian]] and [[Catholic Church|Catholic]].<ref name="Abdelfatah-2022" /> Historian [[Randall Balmer]] notes that [[Billy Graham]]'s ''[[Christianity Today]]'' published in 1968 a statement by theologian [[Bruce Waltke]] that:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waltke |first=Bruce K. |author-link=Bruce Waltke |date=November 8, 1968 |title=The Old Testament and Birth Control |url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1968/november-8/old-testament-and-birth-control.html |access-date=February 24, 2023 |website=[[Christianity Today]] |language=en |archive-date=February 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224190800/https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1968/november-8/old-testament-and-birth-control.html |url-status=live }}</ref> "God does not regard the fetus as a soul, no matter how far gestation has progressed. The Law plainly exacts: "If a man kills any human life he will be put to death" (Lev. 24:17). But according to Exodus 21:22-24, the destruction of the fetus is not a capital offense. ... Clearly, then, in contrast to the mother, the fetus is not reckoned as a soul." Typical of the time, ''Christianity Today'' "refused to characterize abortion as sinful" and cited "individual health, family welfare, and social responsibility" as "justifications for ending a pregnancy."<ref name="Balmer-2022">{{Cite web |last=Balmer |first=Randall |author-link=Randall Balmer |date=May 10, 2022 |title=The Religious Right and the Abortion Myth |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/05/10/abortion-history-right-white-evangelical-1970s-00031480 |access-date=February 24, 2023 |website=[[Politico]] |language=en |archive-date=February 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224190749/https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/05/10/abortion-history-right-white-evangelical-1970s-00031480 |url-status=live }}</ref> Similar beliefs were held among conservative figures in the [[Southern Baptist Convention]], including [[W. A. Criswell]], who is partially credited with starting the "[[Southern Baptist Convention conservative resurgence|conservative resurgence]]" within the organization, who stated: "I have always felt that it was only after a child was born and had a life separate from its mother that it became an individual person and it has always, therefore, seemed to me that what is best for the mother and for the future should be allowed." Balmer argues that evangelical American Christianity being inherently tied to opposition to abortion is a relatively new occurrence.<ref name="Balmer-2022" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Bob |date=November 6, 2012 |title=Evangelicals and abortion: chicken or egg? |url=https://baptistnews.com/article/evangelicals-and-abortion-chicken-or-egg/ |access-date=February 24, 2023 |website=Baptist News Global |language=en-US |archive-date=February 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224191638/https://baptistnews.com/article/evangelicals-and-abortion-chicken-or-egg/ |url-status=live }}</ref> After the late 1970s, he writes, opinion against abortion among evangelicals rapidly shifted in favor of its prohibition.<ref name="Abdelfatah-2022" />

Today, opinion polls show that Republican voters are heavily divided on the legality of abortion,<ref name="Doherty-2023">{{Cite web |last=Doherty |first=Carroll |title=How Republicans view their party and key issues facing the country as the 118th Congress begins |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2023/01/19/how-republicans-view-their-party-and-key-issues-facing-the-country-as-the-118th-congress-begins/ |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=Pew Research Center |language=en-US |quote=There are fissures in the GOP coalition. The same typology study found fissures in the GOP coalition, including over economic fairness, tax policy, and in views of abortion and same-sex marriage. |archive-date=January 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121121637/https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2023/01/19/how-republicans-view-their-party-and-key-issues-facing-the-country-as-the-118th-congress-begins/ |url-status=live }}</ref> although vast majority of the party's national and state candidates are [[anti-abortion]] and oppose elective [[abortion]] on religious or moral grounds. While many advocate exceptions in the case of [[incest]], rape or the mother's life being at risk, in 2012 the party approved a platform advocating banning abortions without exception.<ref name="platform">{{cite web|first1=Alan|last1=Fram|first2=Philip|last2=Elliot|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gop-oks-platform-barring-abortions-gay-marriage-204947742.html|title=GOP OKs platform barring abortions, gay marriage|website=Finance.yahoo.com|date=August 29, 2012|access-date=December 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226133220/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gop-oks-platform-barring-abortions-gay-marriage-204947742.html|archive-date=February 26, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> There were not highly polarized differences between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party prior to the ''[[Roe v. Wade]]'' 1973 Supreme Court ruling (which made prohibitions on abortion rights unconstitutional), but after the Supreme Court ruling, opposition to abortion became an increasingly key national platform for the Republican Party.<ref name="The Great Divide: Religious and Cultural Conflict in American Party Politics2">{{Cite book|url=https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-great-divide/9780231120593|title=The Great Divide: Religious and Cultural Conflict in American Party Politics|last=Layman|first=Geoffrey|author1-link=Geoffrey Layman|date=2001|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0231120586|pages=115, 119–120|access-date=July 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150625083214/http://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-great-divide/9780231120593|archive-date=June 25, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="How race and religion have polarized American voters">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2014/01/20/how-race-and-religion-have-polarized-american-voters/|title=How race and religion have polarized American voters|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=July 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716002726/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2014/01/20/how-race-and-religion-have-polarized-american-voters/|archive-date=July 16, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Party hacks and true believers: The effect of party affiliation on political preferences|date=2019|journal=Journal of Comparative Economics|volume=47|issue=3|pages=504–524|doi=10.1016/j.jce.2019.03.004|last1=Gould|first1=Eric D.|last2=Klor|first2=Esteban F.|s2cid=241140587}}</ref> As a result, Evangelicals gravitated towards the Republican Party.<ref name="The Great Divide: Religious and Cultural Conflict in American Party Politics2" /><ref name="How race and religion have polarized American voters" /> Most Republicans oppose government funding for abortion providers, notably [[Planned Parenthood]].<ref name="ontheissues">{{cite web|title=Bobby Jindal on the Issues|publisher=Ontheissues.org|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/House/Bobby_Jindal.htm|access-date=May 16, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613001947/http://ontheissues.org/House/Bobby_Jindal.htm|archive-date=June 13, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> This includes support for the [[Hyde Amendment]].

Until its dissolution in 2018, [[Republican Majority for Choice]], an abortion rights PAC, advocated for amending the GOP platform to include pro-abortion rights members.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/06/pro-choice-republicans-in-congress-are-nearly-extinct.html|title=The Near-Extinction of Pro-Choice Republicans in Congress|last=Kilgore|first=Ed|work=[[New York (magazine)|New York Intelligencer]]|access-date=October 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920132858/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/06/pro-choice-republicans-in-congress-are-nearly-extinct.html|archive-date=September 20, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Republican Party has pursued policies at the national and state-level to restrict [[embryonic stem cell]] research beyond the original lines because it involves the destruction of human [[embryo]]s.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Levine|first1=A. D.|last2=Lacy|first2=T. A.|last3=Hearn|first3=J. C.|date=February 18, 2013|title=The origins of human embryonic stem cell research policies in the US states|url=https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/sct005|journal=Science and Public Policy|volume=40|issue=4|pages=544–558|doi=10.1093/scipol/sct005|issn=0302-3427|access-date=November 7, 2021|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108165659/https://academic.oup.com/spp/article-abstract/40/4/544/1635831?redirectedFrom=fulltext|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Blendon|first1=Robert J.|last2=Kim|first2=Minah Kang|last3=Benson|first3=John M.|date=November 17, 2011|title=The Public, Political Parties, and Stem-Cell Research|url=https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp1110340|journal=New England Journal of Medicine|volume=365|issue=20|pages=1853–1856|doi=10.1056/NEJMp1110340|issn=0028-4793|pmid=22087677|access-date=November 7, 2021|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108165700/https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1110340|url-status=live}}</ref>

After [[Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization|the overturning]] of ''Roe v. Wade'' in 2022, a majority of Republican-controlled states [[Abortion law in the United States by state|passed near-total bans]] on [[abortion]], rendering it largely illegal throughout much of the United States.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Leonhardt |first=David |date=April 6, 2023 |title=The Power and Limits of Abortion Politics |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/06/world/wisconsin-chicago-elections-abortion.html |access-date=April 7, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |quote=After the Supreme Court overturned Roe last June and allowed states to ban abortion, more than a dozen quickly imposed tight restrictions. Today, abortion is largely illegal in most of red America, even though polls suggest many voters in these states support at least some access. |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406104207/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/06/world/wisconsin-chicago-elections-abortion.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Siders |first=David |date=April 6, 2023 |title=No Wisconsin wake-up call: Republicans go full steam ahead on abortion restrictions |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/06/wisconsin-gop-abortion-restrictions-00090888 |access-date=April 7, 2023 |website=[[Politico]] |language=en |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406203158/https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/06/wisconsin-gop-abortion-restrictions-00090888 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Affirmative action ====
{{See also|Affirmative action in the United States}}
Republicans generally oppose [[affirmative action]], often describing it as a "[[racial quota|quota system]]" and believing that it is not [[meritocratic]] and is counter-productive socially by only further promoting [[discrimination]]. According to a 2023 ABC poll, a majority of Americans (52%) and 75% of Republicans supported the Supreme Court's decision in [[Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard]] prohibiting race as a factor in college admissions, compared to only 26% of Democrats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/americans-approve-supreme-court-decision-restricting-race-college/story?id=100580375|title=Most Americans approve of Supreme Court decision restricting use of race in college admissions|access-date=March 15, 2024|website=ABC News}}</ref>

The 2012 Republican national platform stated, "We support efforts to help low-income individuals get a fair chance based on their potential and individual merit; but we reject preferences, quotas, and set-asides, as the best or sole methods through which fairness can be achieved, whether in government, education or corporate boardrooms…Merit, ability, aptitude, and results should be the factors that determine advancement in our society."<ref>See [https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/2012-republican-party-platform Republican 2012 Platform]</ref>
<ref name=affirmativeaction>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/15/bush.affirmativeaction/|work=[[CNN]]|title=Bush criticizes university 'quota system'|date=January 15, 2003|access-date=May 22, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604190524/http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/15/bush.affirmativeaction/|archive-date=June 4, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name= Eilperin>{{cite news|last=Eilperin|first=Juliet|title=Watts Walks a Tightrope on Affirmative Action|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=May 12, 1998|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/affirm/stories/aa051298.htm|access-date=January 22, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100524122643/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/affirm/stories/aa051298.htm|archive-date=May 24, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Republican National Committee|author-link=Republican National Committee|date=July 30, 2015|title=Republican Views On Affirmative Action|url=https://www.republicanviews.org/republican-views-on-affirmative-action/|url-status=live|website=republicanviews.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419164555/https://www.republicanviews.org/republican-views-on-affirmative-action/|archive-date=April 19, 2022}}</ref>

==== Gun ownership ====
[[File:20210420 Gun control survey by political party - Pew Research.svg|thumb|upright=1.5|A 2021 survey of U.S. opinion on gun control issues, revealing deep divides along political lines.<ref name=Pew_20210420>{{cite web |title=Amid a Series of Mass Shootings in the U.S., Gun Policy Remains Deeply Divisive |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/04/20/amid-a-series-of-mass-shootings-in-the-u-s-gun-policy-remains-deeply-divisive/ |website=PewResearch.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530202009/https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/04/20/amid-a-series-of-mass-shootings-in-the-u-s-gun-policy-remains-deeply-divisive/ |archive-date=May 30, 2022 |date=April 20, 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref>]]

Republicans generally support [[Gun politics in the United States|gun ownership rights]] and oppose [[Gun law in the United States|laws regulating guns]]. Party members and Republican-leaning independents are twice as likely to own a gun as Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2017/06/22/the-demographics-of-gun-ownership/ |date=June 22, 2017 |publisher=[[Pew Research Center]] |title=America's Complex Relationship With Guns |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622193232/https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2017/06/22/the-demographics-of-gun-ownership |archive-date=June 22, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[National Rifle Association of America]], a [[advocacy group|special interest group]] in support of gun ownership, has consistently aligned itself with the Republican Party.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Daniel |last1=Nass |title=A Democrat with an 'A' Grade from the NRA? There's One Left. |url=https://www.thetrace.org/2020/09/nra-grades-2020-election/ |website=The Trace |access-date=September 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200909235156/https://www.thetrace.org/2020/09/nra-grades-2020-election/ |archive-date=September 9, 2020 |language=en-US |date=September 9, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Following gun control measures under the [[Presidency of Bill Clinton|Clinton administration]], such as the [[Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994]], the Republicans allied with the NRA during the [[Republican Revolution]] in [[1994 United States elections|1994]].<ref>Siegel, Reva B. "Dead or Alive: Originalism as Popular Constitutionalism in Heller." ''The Second Amendment on Trial: Critical Essays on District of Columbia v. Heller'', edited by Saul Cornell and Nathan Kozuskanich, University of Massachusetts Press, 2013, p. 104.</ref> Since then, the NRA has consistently backed Republican candidates and contributed financial support,<ref>{{cite news |first1=Maggie |last1=Astor |title=For First Time in at Least 25 Years, No Democrat Has Top Grade From N.R.A. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/22/us/politics/nra-ratings-grades-democrats.html |access-date=September 11, 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922165110/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/22/us/politics/nra-ratings-grades-democrats.html |archive-date=September 22, 2022 |language=en-US |quote=The Democratic break from the National Rifle Association is complete: For the first time in at least 25 years, not a single Democrat running for Congress anywhere in the country received an A in the group’s candidate ratings, which were once a powerful influence in U.S. elections.}}</ref> such as in the [[2013 Colorado recall election]] which resulted in the ousting of two pro-gun control Democrats for two anti-gun control Republicans.<ref>{{cite news |last=Siddiqui |first=Sabrina |date=September 10, 2013 |title=Colorado Recall Results: Democratic State Senators Defeated In Major Victory For NRA |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/10/colorado-recall-results_n_3903209.html |website=[[HuffPost]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911225548/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/10/colorado-recall-results_n_3903209.html |archive-date=September 11, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In contrast, [[George H. W. Bush]], formerly a lifelong NRA member, was highly critical of the organization following their response to the [[Oklahoma City bombing]] authored by CEO [[Wayne LaPierre]], and publicly resigned in protest.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/11/us/letter-of-resignation-sent-by-bush-to-rifle-association.html |date=May 11, 1995 |work=[[The New York Times]] |title=Letter of Resignation Sent By Bush to Rifle Association |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121222213941/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/11/us/letter-of-resignation-sent-by-bush-to-rifle-association.html |archive-date=December 22, 2012 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

==== Drug legalization ====
{{See also|Illegal drug trade in the United States}}
Republican elected officials have historically supported the [[War on Drugs]]. They generally oppose [[legalization of drugs|legalization]] or decriminalization of drugs such as [[Cannabis in the United States|marijuana]].<ref name="Tesler-2022">{{Cite web |last=Tesler |first=Michael |date=April 20, 2022 |title=Why Do GOP Lawmakers Still Oppose Legalizing Weed? |url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-do-gop-lawmakers-still-oppose-legalizing-weed/ |access-date=August 13, 2022 |website=[[FiveThirtyEight]] |language=en-US |archive-date=August 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824002207/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-do-gop-lawmakers-still-oppose-legalizing-weed/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.republicanviews.org/republican-views-on-drugs/|title=Republican Views on Drugs {{!}} Republican Views|website=www.republicanviews.org|access-date=May 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502010122/http://www.republicanviews.org/republican-views-on-drugs/|archive-date=May 2, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2020|title=House votes to decriminalize marijuana as GOP resists national shift|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/house-marijuana-republicans-election/2020/12/04/db2b00a8-35b0-11eb-8d38-6aea1adb3839_story.html|access-date=December 18, 2020|archive-date=December 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221145058/https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/house-marijuana-republicans-election/2020/12/04/db2b00a8-35b0-11eb-8d38-6aea1adb3839_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Opposition to the legalization of marijuana has softened significantly over time among Republican voters.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kneeland|first=Timothy W.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8vlUDAAAQBAJ&q=republican+party+opposition+drug+legalization&pg=PA206|title=Today's Social Issues: Democrats and Republicans: Democrats and Republicans|year=2016|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1610698368|page=206|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-date=December 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215024943/https://books.google.com/books?id=8vlUDAAAQBAJ&q=republican+party+opposition+drug+legalization&pg=PA206|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Greg|last=Newburn|title=Top GOP Presidential Contenders Support Mandatory Minimum Reform|date=July 18, 2014|url=http://famm.org/top-gop-presidential-contenders-support-mandatory-minimum-reform/|publisher=[[Families Against Mandatory Minimums]]|access-date=December 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129020752/http://famm.org/top-gop-presidential-contenders-support-mandatory-minimum-reform/|archive-date=November 29, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> A 2021 [[Quinnipiac University|''Quinnipiac'']] poll found that 62% of Republicans supported the legalization of recreational marijuana use and that net support for the position was +30 points.<ref name="Tesler-2022" />

==== Immigration ====
{{POV section|date=March 2024}}
{{See also|Immigration to the United States|Illegal immigration to the United States}}
The Republican Party has taken widely varying views on immigration throughout its history.<ref name="Smith-2021"/> In the period between 1850 and 1870, the Republican Party was more opposed to immigration than the Democrats. The GOP's opposition was, in part, caused by its reliance on the support of anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant parties such as the [[Know Nothing|Know-Nothings]]. In the decades following the Civil War, the Republican Party grew more supportive of immigration, as it represented manufacturers in the northeast (who wanted additional labor); during this period, the Democratic Party came to be seen as the party of labor (which wanted fewer laborers with which to compete). Starting in the 1970s, the parties switched places again, as the Democrats grew more supportive of immigration than Republicans.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://press.princeton.edu/titles/11040.html|title=Trading Barriers|last=Peters|first=Margaret|date=2017|pages=154–155|publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0691174471|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303043905/https://press.princeton.edu/titles/11040.html|archive-date=March 3, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2006, the Republican-led Senate passed [[Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006|comprehensive immigration reform]] that would eventually have allowed millions of illegal immigrants to become citizens. Despite the support of Republican President George W. Bush, the House of Representatives (also led by Republicans) did not advance the bill.<ref name="Blanton">{{cite news|last=Blanton|first=Dana|title=National Exit Poll: Midterms Come Down to Iraq, Bush|publisher=[[Fox News]]|date=November 8, 2006|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,228104,00.html|access-date=January 6, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070306050851/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,228104,00.html|archive-date=March 6, 2007}}</ref> After Republican Mitt Romney was defeated in the 2012 presidential election, particularly due to a lack of support among Latinos,<ref name="Thrush 2012 z257">{{cite web | last=Thrush | first=Glenn | title=How Romney lost Latinos | website=Politico | date=2012-03-12 | url=https://www.politico.com/story/2012/03/how-romney-lost-latinos-074036 | access-date=2024-04-05}}</ref><ref name="Murray 2012 q346">{{cite web | last=Murray | first=NBC's Mark | title=One month later, Republicans find plenty of blame for election loss | website=NBC News | date=2012-12-04 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/one-month-later-republicans-find-plenty-blame-election-loss-flna1c7425742 | access-date=2024-04-05}}</ref> several Republicans advocated a friendlier approach to immigrants that would allow for more migrant workers and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. The [[Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013]] passed the Senate 68–32, but was not brought to a vote in the House and died in the [[113th Congress]].<ref name="auto10">{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-trump-biden-gang-of-eight-3d8007e72928665b66d8648be0e3e31f|website=[[Associated Press|AP News]]|title=Immigration reform stalled decade after Gang of 8′s big push|date=April 3, 2023|access-date=April 3, 2023|archive-date=April 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403061526/https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-trump-biden-gang-of-eight-3d8007e72928665b66d8648be0e3e31f|url-status=live}}</ref> In a 2013 poll, 60% of Republicans supported the pathway to citizenship concept.<ref name="long-past">{{cite news|last=Frumin|first=Aliyah|title=Obama: 'Long past time' for immigration reform|date=November 25, 2013|url=https://www.msnbc.com/hardball/obama-long-past-time-reform|publisher=[[MSNBC]]|access-date=January 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121145422/http://www.msnbc.com/hardball/obama-long-past-time-reform|archive-date=January 21, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2016, Republican presidential candidate [[Donald Trump]] proposed to build [[Trump wall|a wall]] along the southern border of the United States. Trump enacted [[Immigration policy of Donald Trump|several hardline immigration policies during his administration]], including a [[Executive Order 13769|travel ban]] from multiple Muslim-majority countries, a [[Remain in Mexico]] policy for asylum-seekers, [[Trump administration family separation policy|a controversial family separation policy]], and attempting to end [[Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals|DACA]]<ref name="auto3"/><ref name="auto6">{{cite journal |last1=Hajnal |first1=Zoltan |date=January 4, 2021 |title=Immigration & the Origins of White Backlash |journal=Daedalus |volume=150 |issue=2 |pages=23–39 |doi=10.1162/daed_a_01844 |issn=0011-5266 |doi-access=free}}</ref> During the tenure of Democratic President Joe Biden, the Republican Party has continued to take a hardline stance against illegal immigration. The Party largely opposes immigration reform,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/senate-border-vote-immigration-policies-trump-19977804?mod=hp_lead_pos1|title=Why Both Parties Have Shifted Right on Immigration—and Still Can't Agree|website=The Wall Street Journal|first1=Michelle|last1=Hackman|first2=Aaron|last2=Zitner|date=February 2, 2024}}</ref> although there are widely differing views on immigration within the Party.<ref name="auto10"/>

==== LGBT issues ====
Similar to the Democratic Party, the Republican position on [[LGBT rights in the United States|LGBT rights]] has changed significantly over time, with continuously increasing support among both parties on the issue.<ref name="Lindberg-2022" /><ref name="Igielnik-2022">{{cite web |last1=Igielnik |first1=Ruth |date=November 16, 2022 |title=Backdrop for Vote on Same-Sex Marriage Rights: A Big Shift in Public Opinion |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/16/us/politics/same-sex-marriage-public-opinion.html |access-date=November 17, 2022 |website=[[The New York Times]] |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116235133/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/16/us/politics/same-sex-marriage-public-opinion.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Log Cabin Republicans]] is a group within the Republican Party that represents [[LGBT conservatism|LGBT conservatives]] and allies and advocates for LGBT rights and equality.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=http://logcabin.org/about-us/ |access-date=November 29, 2020 |website=Log Cabin Republicans |archive-date=February 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204163804/https://logcabin.org/about-us/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Both Republican and Democratic politicians predominately took hostile positions on LGBT rights before the 2000s.<ref name="Lindberg-2022" />{{Failed verification|reason=The article talks about left and right leaders, not Democrats and Republicans in that paragraph.|date=March 2024}} From the early-2000s to the mid-2010s, Republicans opposed [[same-sex marriage]], while being divided on the issue of [[civil union]]s and [[domestic partnership]]s for same-sex couples.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Anne |date=March 9, 2016 |title='Religious Liberty' Has Replaced 'Gay Marriage' In GOP Talking Points |url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/religious-liberty-has-replaced-gay-marriage-in-gop-talking-points/ |access-date=August 13, 2022 |website=[[FiveThirtyEight]] |language=en-US |archive-date=August 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814020215/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/religious-liberty-has-replaced-gay-marriage-in-gop-talking-points/ |url-status=live }}</ref> During the 2004 election, [[George W. Bush]] campaigned prominently on a constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage; many believe it helped Bush win re-election.<ref name="Lerer-2020">{{Cite news|last1=Lerer|first1=Lisa|last2=Russonello|first2=Giovanni|last3=Paz|first3=Isabella Grullón|date=June 17, 2020|title=On L.G.B.T.Q. Rights, a Gulf Between Trump and Many Republican Voters|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/17/us/politics/lgbtq-supreme-court-trump-republicans.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617232814/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/17/us/politics/lgbtq-supreme-court-trump-republicans.html |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|access-date=June 8, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/04/politics/campaign/samesex-marriage-issue-key-to-some-gop-races.html|title=Same-Sex Marriage Issue Key to Some G.O.P. Races|last=Dao|first=James|date=November 4, 2004|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=August 25, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812004009/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/04/politics/campaign/samesex-marriage-issue-key-to-some-gop-races.html|archive-date=August 12, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In both [[108th United States Congress|2004]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/24/elec04.prez.bush.marriage/|title=Bush calls for ban on same-sex marriages|date=February 25, 2004|work=[[CNN]]|access-date=February 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515103309/http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/24/elec04.prez.bush.marriage/|archive-date=May 15, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[109th United States Congress|2006]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/11442710/ns/politics/t/bush-urges-federal-marriage-amendment/|title=Bush urges federal marriage amendment|date=June 6, 2006|publisher=[[NBC News]]|access-date=February 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408104009/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/11442710/ns/politics/t/bush-urges-federal-marriage-amendment/|archive-date=April 8, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> President Bush, Senate Majority Leader [[Bill Frist]], and House Majority Leader [[John Boehner]] promoted the [[Federal Marriage Amendment]], a proposed constitutional amendment which would legally restrict the definition of marriage to [[Heterosexuality|heterosexual]] couples.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/24/politics/bush-backs-ban-in-constitution-on-gay-marriage.html|title=Bush Backs Ban in Constitution on Gay Marriage|last=Stout|first=David|date=February 24, 2004|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=December 17, 2018|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181217202413/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/24/politics/bush-backs-ban-in-constitution-on-gay-marriage.html|archive-date=December 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/07/AR2006060700830.html|title=Gay Marriage Amendment Fails in Senate|journal=The Washington Post and Times-Herald|last=Murray|first=Shailagh|date=June 8, 2006|access-date=December 17, 2018|issn=0190-8286|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308131316/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/07/AR2006060700830.html|archive-date=March 8, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/constitutional-amendment-on-marriage-fails|title=Constitutional Amendment on Marriage Fails|date=March 25, 2015|website=[[Fox News]]|access-date=December 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181217202230/https://www.foxnews.com/story/constitutional-amendment-on-marriage-fails|archive-date=December 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In both attempts, the amendment failed to secure enough votes to invoke [[cloture]] and thus ultimately was never passed. As more states legalized same-sex marriage in the 2010s, Republicans increasingly supported allowing each state to decide its own marriage policy.<ref name="A Shifting Landscape">{{cite web|url=http://publicreligion.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2014.LGBT_REPORT.pdf|title=A Shifting Landscape|date=February 26, 2014 |website=Public Religion Research Institute |first1=Robert P. |last1=Jones |first2=Daniel |last2=Cox |first3=Juhem |last3=Navarro-Rivera |access-date=December 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417222101/http://publicreligion.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2014.LGBT_REPORT.pdf|archive-date=April 17, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> As of 2014, most state GOP platforms expressed opposition to same-sex marriage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gop-platform_n_5242421|title=Anti-Gay Stance Still Enshrined In Majority Of State GOP Platforms |first=Amanda |last=Terkel|date=May 5, 2014|website=[[HuffPost]]|access-date=August 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824093553/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gop-platform_n_5242421|archive-date=August 24, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2016 [[2016 Republican National Convention|GOP Platform]] defined marriage as "natural marriage, the union of one man and one woman," and condemned the Supreme Court's [[Obergefell v. Hodges|ruling]] legalizing same-sex marriages.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/4411842/republican-platform-same-sex-marriage-abortion-guns-wall-street/|title=Read the Republican Platform on Same-Sex Marriage, Guns and Wall Street |date=July 18, 2016 |first=Will |last=Drabold |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=August 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804081049/https://time.com/4411842/republican-platform-same-sex-marriage-abortion-guns-wall-street/|archive-date=August 4, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gop.com/the-2016-republican-party-platform|title=The 2016 Republican Party Platform|date=July 18, 2016|website=GOP|access-date=February 1, 2020|archive-date=February 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211220913/https://www.gop.com/the-2016-republican-party-platform/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The 2020 platform retained the 2016 language against same-sex marriage.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Orr|first=Gabby|title=Republicans across the spectrum slam RNC's decision to keep 2016 platform|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/11/republicans-rnc-decision-314172|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=[[Politico]]|date=June 11, 2020|archive-date=August 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802160921/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/11/republicans-rnc-decision-314172|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Kilgore|first=Ed|date=June 11, 2020|title=Republicans Will Just Recycle Their 2016 Party Platform|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/06/republicans-will-just-recycle-their-2016-party-platform.html|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=[[New York (magazine)|New York Intelligencer]]|archive-date=July 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730000020/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/06/republicans-will-just-recycle-their-2016-party-platform.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Epstein|first1=Reid J.|last2=Karni|first2=Annie|date=June 11, 2020|title=G.O.P. Platform, Rolled Over From 2016, Condemns the 'Current President'|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/politics/republican-platform.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611181235/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/politics/republican-platform.html |archive-date=June 11, 2020 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|access-date=June 12, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Following his election as president in 2016, Donald Trump stated that he had no objection to same-sex marriage or to the Supreme Court decision in ''Obergefell v. Hodges'', but had previously promised to consider appointing a Supreme Court justice to roll back the constitutional right.<ref name="Lerer-2020" /><ref name="auto7">{{cite web|last=de Vogue|first=Ariane|title=Trump: Same-sex marriage is 'settled,' but Roe v Wade can be changed|url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/politics/trump-gay-marriage-abortion-supreme-court/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511223804/https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/politics/trump-gay-marriage-abortion-supreme-court/index.html|archive-date=May 11, 2019|access-date=May 11, 2019|website=[[CNN]]|date=November 14, 2016}}</ref> In office, Trump was the first sitting Republican president to recognize [[Gay pride|LGBT Pride Month]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/trump-recognizes-lgbtq-pride-month-first-time-n1012611|title=Trump recognizes LGBTQ pride month in tweets|website=[[NBC News]]|date=May 31, 2019 |access-date=August 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803192111/https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/trump-recognizes-lgbtq-pride-month-first-time-n1012611|archive-date=August 3, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Conversely, the Trump administration banned transgender individuals from service in the United States military and rolled back other protections for transgender people which had been enacted during the previous Democratic presidency.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/06/us/politics/trump-transgender-rights.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206103013/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/06/us/politics/trump-transgender-rights.html |archive-date=December 6, 2019 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Trump's Rollback of Transgender Rights Extends Through Entire Government|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 6, 2019|access-date=June 9, 2020|last1=Fadulu|first1=Lola|last2=Flanagan|first2=Annie}}</ref>

The Republican Party platform previously opposed the [[Sexual orientation and the United States military|inclusion of gay people in the military]] and opposed adding sexual orientation to the list of protected classes since 1992.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/20/news/delicate-balance-gay-vote-gay-rights-aids-emerging-divisive-issues-campaign.html|title=A Delicate Balance: The Gay Vote; Gay Rights and AIDS Emerging As Divisive Issues in Campaign|last=Schmalz|first=Jeffrey|date=August 20, 1992|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=August 24, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824093556/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/20/news/delicate-balance-gay-vote-gay-rights-aids-emerging-divisive-issues-campaign.html|archive-date=August 24, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-platform-through-the-years-shows-partys-shift-from-moderate-to-conservative/2012/08/28/09094512-ed70-11e1-b09d-07d971dee30a_story.html|title=GOP platform through the years shows party's shift from moderate to conservative|last=Fisher|first=Marc|date=August 28, 2012|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824093557/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-platform-through-the-years-shows-partys-shift-from-moderate-to-conservative/2012/08/28/09094512-ed70-11e1-b09d-07d971dee30a_story.html|archive-date=August 24, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/2016-election/conventions/party-platform-evolution/|title=What Republicans and Democrats have disagreed on, from 1856 to today|last1=Mellnik|first1=Ted|last2=Alcantara|first2=Chris|date=July 15, 2016|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114164556/https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/2016-election/conventions/party-platform-evolution/|archive-date=November 14, 2017|url-status=live|last3=Uhrmacher|first3=Kevin}}</ref> The Republican Party opposed the inclusion of [[sexual preference]] in anti-discrimination statutes from 1992 to 2004.<ref name="1992 Republican Party platform">{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25847|title=Republican Party Platforms: Republican Party Platform of 1992|website=Presidency.ucsb.edu|date=August 17, 1992|access-date=December 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204134646/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25847|archive-date=February 4, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2008 and 2012 Republican Party platform supported anti-discrimination statutes based on sex, race, age, religion, creed, disability, or national origin, but both platforms were silent on [[sexual orientation]] and [[gender identity]].<ref name="2012 Republican Party platform">{{cite web|url=http://www.gop.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/2012GOPPlatform.pdf|title=Layout 1|website=Gop.com|access-date=December 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140730001737/http://www.gop.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/2012GOPPlatform.pdf|archive-date=July 30, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="2008 Republican Party platform">{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=78545|title=Republican Party Platforms: 2008 Republican Party Platform|website=Presidency.ucsb.edu|access-date=December 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128014700/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=78545|archive-date=January 28, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2016 platform was opposed to sex discrimination statutes that included the phrase "sexual orientation".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gop.com/|title=Republican Party Platform|website=GOP|access-date=December 29, 2019|archive-date=November 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191123022603/https://gop.com/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://prod-cdn-static.gop.com/static/home/data/platform.pdf|title=Republican Platform 2016|date=2016|website=GOP.com|access-date=December 29, 2019|archive-date=May 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503220642/https://prod-cdn-static.gop.com/static/home/data/platform.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The same 2016 platform rejected ''[[Obergefell v. Hodges]]'', and was also used for the party's 2020 and 2024 campaigns.<ref name="Zezima Weigel 2016 d265">{{cite news | last1=Zezima | first1=Katie | last2=Weigel | first2=David | title=While Trump stays out of it, GOP platform tacks to the right on gay rights | newspaper=Washington Post | date=2016-07-13 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/while-trump-stays-out-of-it-gop-platform-tacks-to-the-right-on-gay-rights/2016/07/13/969165ca-490d-11e6-acbc-4d4870a079da_story.html | access-date=2024-01-23}}</ref><ref name="Karson Cunningham 2020 v198">{{cite web | last1=Karson | first1=Kendall | last2=Cunningham | first2=Meg | title=RNC moves to keep 2016 platform intact through 2024, controversies and all | website=ABC News | date=2020-06-12 | url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rnc-moves-2016-platform-intact-2024-controversies/story?id=71218640 | access-date=2024-01-23}}</ref> In the early 2020s, numerous Republican-led states [[2020s anti-LGBT movement in the United States|proposed or passed laws]] limiting or banning [[Transgender health care|transgender care]] for minors, [[Drag panic|public performances of drag shows]], and teaching schoolchildren about LGBT topics.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Astor |first1=Maggie |title=G.O.P. State Lawmakers Push a Growing Wave of Anti-Transgender Bills |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 25, 2023 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/25/us/politics/transgender-laws-republicans.html |access-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-date=June 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615112638/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/25/us/politics/transgender-laws-republicans.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On November 6, 2021, RNC Chair [[Ronna McDaniel]] announced the creation of the "RNC Pride Coalition", in partnership with the [[Log Cabin Republicans]], to promote outreach to LGBTQ voters.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Singman|first=Brooke|date=November 8, 2021|title=RNC announces 'Pride Coalition,' partnership with Log Cabin Republicans ahead of midterms|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rnc-announces-pride-coalition-partnership-with-log-cabin-republicans-ahead-of-midterms|access-date=November 18, 2021|website=[[Fox News]]|language=en-US|archive-date=November 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115120520/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rnc-announces-pride-coalition-partnership-with-log-cabin-republicans-ahead-of-midterms|url-status=live}}</ref> However, after the announcement, McDaniel apologized for not having communicated the announcement in advance and emphasized that the new outreach program does not alter the GOP Platform, last adopted in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 17, 2021|title=GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel apologizes for poor communication regarding gay outreach|url=https://www.metroweekly.com/2021/11/republican-chairwoman-ronna-mcdaniel-apologizes-for-poor-communication-regarding-gay-outreach-initiative/|access-date=November 18, 2021|website=Metro Weekly|language=en-US|archive-date=November 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118215808/https://www.metroweekly.com/2021/11/republican-chairwoman-ronna-mcdaniel-apologizes-for-poor-communication-regarding-gay-outreach-initiative/|url-status=live}}</ref>

As of 2023, a majority of Republican voters support [[Same-sex marriage in the United States|same-sex marriage]].<ref name="Lindberg-2022">{{Cite web |last=Lindberg |first=Tim |date=August 2, 2022 |title=Congress is considering making same-sex marriage federal law – a political scientist explains how this issue became less polarized over time |url=https://theconversation.com/congress-is-considering-making-same-sex-marriage-federal-law-a-political-scientist-explains-how-this-issue-became-less-polarized-over-time-187509 |access-date=August 14, 2022 |website=Kansas Reflector |language=en-US |archive-date=August 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823203344/http://theconversation.com/congress-is-considering-making-same-sex-marriage-federal-law-a-political-scientist-explains-how-this-issue-became-less-polarized-over-time-187509 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=September 28, 2022 |title=Majority of Americans Believe Abortion and Same-Sex Marriage Should be Guaranteed Rights {{!}} Grinnell College |url=https://www.grinnell.edu/poll/guaranteed-rights |access-date=November 17, 2022 |website=[[Grinnell College]] |quote=Solid majorities across both parties agree that... marrying someone of the same sex...are rights that should be guaranteed to all citizens... |archive-date=March 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230305231449/https://www.grinnell.edu/poll/guaranteed-rights |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Cohn |first=Nate |author-link=Nate Cohn |date=August 10, 2023 |title=It's Not Reagan's Party Anymore |language=en |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/10/upshot/reagan-trump-gop-stool.html |access-date=August 23, 2023 |quote=It’s not Mr. Reagan’s party anymore. Today, a majority of Republicans oppose many of the positions that defined the party as recently as a decade ago, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll released last week. Only around one-third of Republican voters... [oppose]... same-sex marriage... |archive-date=December 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202100640/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/10/upshot/reagan-trump-gop-stool.html |url-status=live }}</ref> According to ''[[FiveThirtyEight]]'', as of 2022, Republican voters are consistently more open to same-sex marriage than their representatives.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/whats-behind-senate-republicans-hesitancy-toward-same-sex-marriage/|first1=Monica|last1=Potts|title=What's Behind Senate Republicans' Hesitancy Toward Same-Sex Marriage?|website=[[FiveThirtyEight]]|date=August 3, 2022|access-date=August 24, 2022|archive-date=August 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824063615/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/whats-behind-senate-republicans-hesitancy-toward-same-sex-marriage/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2022-07-28/same-sex-marriage-divides-elected-republicans-from-their-supporters|date=July 28, 2022|access-date=August 24, 2022|title=The GOP's Same-Sex Marriage Divide|first1=Lauren|last1=Camera|website=[[U.S. News & World Report]]|archive-date=August 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808203940/https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2022-07-28/same-sex-marriage-divides-elected-republicans-from-their-supporters|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Voting rights ====
{{See also|Voter identification laws in the United States}}

Virtually all restrictions on voting have in recent years been implemented by Republicans. Republicans, mainly at the state level, argue that the restrictions (such as the purging of [[Electoral roll|voter rolls]], limiting voting locations, and limiting [[early voting|early]] and [[Postal voting|mail-in]] voting) are vital to prevent [[voter fraud]], saying that voter fraud is an underestimated issue in elections. Polling has found majority support for early voting, automatic voter registration and [[Voter identification laws in the United States|voter ID laws]] among the general population.<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 22, 2016|title=Four in Five Americans Support Voter ID Laws, Early Voting|url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/194741/four-five-americans-support-voter-laws-early-voting.aspx|access-date=April 7, 2021|website=Gallup.com|archive-date=April 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210406165231/https://news.gallup.com/poll/194741/four-five-americans-support-voter-laws-early-voting.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Rakich|first=Nathaniel|date=April 2, 2021|title=Americans Oppose Many Voting Restrictions — But Not Voter ID Laws|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/americans-oppose-many-voting-restrictions-but-not-voter-id-laws/|access-date=April 7, 2021|website=[[FiveThirtyEight]]|archive-date=April 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210406171627/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/americans-oppose-many-voting-restrictions-but-not-voter-id-laws/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/02/05/republicans-target-ballot-access-after-record-turnout|publisher=Pew Trusts|work=Stateline|first=Matt|last=Vasilogambros|title=Republicans Target Ballot Access After Record Turnout|date=February 5, 2021|access-date=April 25, 2021|archive-date=April 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425034413/https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/02/05/republicans-target-ballot-access-after-record-turnout|url-status=live}}</ref>

In defending their restrictions to voting rights, Republicans have made false and exaggerated claims about the extent of voter fraud in the United States; all existing research indicates that it is extremely rare,<ref name="WaPo_voter_fraud_2014">{{cite web |author=Bump, Philip |date=October 13, 2014 |title=The disconnect between voter ID laws and voter fraud |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/10/13/the-disconnect-between-voter-id-laws-and-voter-fraud/ |access-date=July 26, 2016 |work=The Fix |publisher=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Levitt |first=Justin |date=August 6, 2014 |title=A comprehensive investigation of voter impersonation finds 31 credible incidents out of one billion ballots cast |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/08/06/a-comprehensive-investigation-of-voter-impersonation-finds-31-credible-incidents-out-of-one-billion-ballots-cast/?arc404=true |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191028232347/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/08/06/a-comprehensive-investigation-of-voter-impersonation-finds-31-credible-incidents-out-of-one-billion-ballots-cast/?arc404=true |archive-date=October 28, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Hakim-2018" /><ref name="Linker-2018" /> and civil and voting rights organizations often accuse Republicans of enacting restrictions to influence elections in the party's favor. Many laws or regulations restricting voting enacted by Republicans have been successfully challenged in court, with court rulings striking down such regulations and accusing Republicans of establishing them with partisan purpose.<ref name="Hakim-2018">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/03/us/politics/voting-suppression-elections.html|title='They Don't Really Want Us to Vote': How Republicans Made it Harder|newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=November 3, 2018 |access-date=November 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104152125/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/03/us/politics/voting-suppression-elections.html|archive-date=November 4, 2018|url-status=live|last1=Hakim |first1=Danny |last2=Wines |first2=Michael }}</ref><ref name="Linker-2018">{{cite magazine|url=https://theweek.com/articles/803156/big-conservative-lie-voter-fraud|title=The big conservative lie on 'voter fraud'|date=October 23, 2018|magazine=The Week|access-date=December 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181228130912/https://theweek.com/articles/803156/big-conservative-lie-voter-fraud|archive-date=December 28, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

After the Supreme Court decision in ''[[Shelby County v. Holder]]'' rolled back aspects of the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]], Republicans introduced cuts to early voting, purges of voter rolls and imposition of strict voter ID laws.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Hakim|first1=Danny|last2=Wines|first2=Michael|date=November 3, 2018|title='They Don't Really Want Us to Vote': How Republicans Made It Harder|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/03/us/politics/voting-suppression-elections.html|access-date=April 7, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=November 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104152125/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/03/us/politics/voting-suppression-elections.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2016 Republican platform advocated proof of citizenship as a prerequisite for registering to vote and photo ID as a prerequisite when voting.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mali |first=Meghashyam |date=July 19, 2016 |title=GOP platform calls for tough voter ID laws |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/288302-gop-platform-calls-for-tough-voter-id-laws/ |access-date=April 7, 2021 |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |archive-date=April 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418183438/https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/288302-gop-platform-calls-for-tough-voter-id-laws |url-status=live }}</ref>

After Donald Trump and his [[Republican reactions to Donald Trump's claims of 2020 election fraud|Republican allies made false claims of fraud]] during the 2020 presidential election, Republicans launched a nationwide effort to [[Republican efforts to restrict voting following the 2020 presidential election|impose tighter election laws at the state level]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wines|first=Michael|date=February 27, 2021|title=In Statehouses, Stolen-Election Myth Fuels a G.O.P. Drive to Rewrite Rules|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/us/republican-voter-suppression.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/us/republican-voter-suppression.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Kelly|last=Mena|title=More than 100 bills that would restrict voting are moving through state legislatures|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/02/politics/voting-rights-state-legislation/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203013507/https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/02/politics/voting-rights-state-legislation/index.html|archive-date=February 3, 2021|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=[[CNN]]|date=February 2, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Gardner|first1=Amy|date=March 26, 2021|title=After Trump tried to intervene in the 2020 vote, state Republicans are moving to take more control of elections|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republicans-election-control/2021/03/26/064fffcc-8cb4-11eb-a730-1b4ed9656258_story.html|access-date=April 7, 2021|archive-date=June 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614185326/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republicans-election-control/2021/03/26/064fffcc-8cb4-11eb-a730-1b4ed9656258_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Such bills are centered around limiting mail-in voting, strengthening voter ID laws, shortening early voting, eliminating [[Voter registration in the United States#Automatic|automatic]] and [[Voter registration in the United States#Election Day / same-day|same-day voter registration]], curbing the use of [[ballot drop box]]es, and allowing for increased purging of voter rolls.<ref name="Bill-Tracker">{{Cite web |date=February 24, 2021 |title=State Voting Bills Tracker 2021 |url=https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/state-voting-bills-tracker-2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611232034/https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/state-voting-bills-tracker-2021 |archive-date=June 11, 2022 |website=[[Brennan Center for Justice]]}}</ref><ref name="NYT-practices">{{Cite web |last1=Corisaniti |first1=Nick |last2=Epstein |first2=Reid J. |date=March 23, 2021 |title=G.O.P. and Allies Draft 'Best Practices' for Restricting Voting |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/23/us/politics/republican-voter-laws.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611081640/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/23/us/politics/republican-voter-laws.html |archive-date=June 11, 2022 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Republicans in at least eight states have also introduced bills that would give lawmakers greater power over election administration, after they were unsuccessful in their attempts to overturn election results in [[swing state]]s won by Biden.<ref name="Corasaniti-2021">{{Cite news |last=Corasaniti |first=Nick |date=March 24, 2021 |title=Republicans Aim to Seize More Power Over How Elections Are Run |website=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/us/politics/republicans-election-laws.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611230735/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/us/politics/republicans-election-laws.html |archive-date=June 11, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gardner |first=Amy |date=March 26, 2021 |title=After Trump tried to intervene in the 2020 vote, state Republicans are moving to take more control of elections |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republicans-election-control/2021/03/26/064fffcc-8cb4-11eb-a730-1b4ed9656258_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614185326/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republicans-election-control/2021/03/26/064fffcc-8cb4-11eb-a730-1b4ed9656258_story.html |archive-date=June 14, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kalmbacher |first=Colin |date=May 26, 2021 |title=Arizona GOP Bill Would Allow GOP-Controlled State Legislature to Strip Key Election Powers from Democratic Secretary of State |url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/arizona-gop-bill-would-allow-gop-controlled-state-legislature-to-strip-key-election-powers-from-democratic-secretary-of-state/ |work=Law & Crime |access-date=October 20, 2022 |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531061200/https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/arizona-gop-bill-would-allow-gop-controlled-state-legislature-to-strip-key-election-powers-from-democratic-secretary-of-state/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Gardner |first1=Amy |date=May 29, 2021 |title=Texas Republicans finalize bill that would enact stiff new voting restrictions and make it easier to overturn election results |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/texas-voting-restrictions/2021/05/29/86923248-be25-11eb-9c90-731aff7d9a0d_story.html |access-date=October 20, 2022 |archive-date=July 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714230135/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/texas-voting-restrictions/2021/05/29/86923248-be25-11eb-9c90-731aff7d9a0d_story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Supporters of the bills argue they would improve election security and reverse temporary changes enacted during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]; they point to false claims of significant election fraud, as well as the substantial public distrust of the integrity of the 2020 election those claims have fostered,{{Efn|According to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, while more than 60% of Americans believe the 2020 election was secure, a large majority of Republican voters say they do not trust the results of the 2020 election.<ref name="NPR-poll">{{Cite web|last=Montanaro|first=Domenico|date=December 9, 2020|title=Poll: Just A Quarter Of Republicans Accept Election Outcome |access-date=June 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611233203/https://www.npr.org/2020/12/09/944385798/poll-just-a-quarter-of-republicans-accept-election-outcome |archive-date=June 11, 2022 |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/09/944385798/poll-just-a-quarter-of-republicans-accept-election-outcome|url-status=live|website=[[NPR]]}}</ref> According to a poll by [[Quinnipiac University|Quinnipiac]], 77% of Republicans believe there was widespread voter fraud.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 10, 2020|title=December 10, 2020 – 60% View Joe Biden's 2020 Presidential Victory As Legitimate, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; 77% Of Republicans Believe There Was Widespread Voter Fraud|url=https://poll.qu.edu/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=3685|website=[[Quinnipiac University]]|access-date=October 20, 2022|archive-date=March 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321131057/https://poll.qu.edu/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=3685|url-status=live}}</ref>}} as justification.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Inskeep |first=Steve |date=February 28, 2021 |title=Why Republicans Are Moving To Fix Elections That Weren't Broken |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/02/28/970877930/why-republicans-are-moving-to-fix-elections-that-werent-broken |website=[[NPR]] |access-date=October 20, 2022 |archive-date=March 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328143539/https://www.npr.org/2021/02/28/970877930/why-republicans-are-moving-to-fix-elections-that-werent-broken |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Steinhauser |first=Paul |date=February 17, 2021 |title=Republican Party launching new election integrity committee |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republican-party-launching-new-election-integrity-committee |website=[[Fox News]] |access-date=October 20, 2022 |archive-date=March 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210315121016/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republican-party-launching-new-election-integrity-committee |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Montellaro |first=Zach |date=January 24, 2021 |title=State Republicans push new voting restrictions after Trump's loss |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/24/republicans-voter-id-laws-461707 |website=[[Politico]] |access-date=October 20, 2022 |archive-date=March 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210329192348/https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/24/republicans-voter-id-laws-461707 |url-status=live }}</ref> Political analysts say that the efforts amount to [[voter suppression]], are intended to advantage Republicans by reducing the number of people who vote, and would disproportionately affect [[Race and ethnicity in the United States|minority]] voters.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Davita|last1=Glasberg|first2=William|last2=Armaline|first3=Bandana|last3=Purkayastha|title=I Exist, Therefore I Should Vote: Political Human Rights, Voter Suppression and Undermining Democracy in the U.S.|url=https://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/swb/vol16/iss1/2|journal=Societies Without Borders|date=January 1, 2022|issn=1872-1915|pages=20–47|volume=16|issue=1|access-date=October 28, 2022|archive-date=October 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028052113/https://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/swb/vol16/iss1/2/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|first1=Lydia|last1=Hardy|title=Voter Suppression Post-Shelby: Impacts and Issues of Voter Purge and Voter ID Laws|url=https://digitalcommons.law.mercer.edu/jour_mlr/vol71/iss3/10|journal=Mercer Law Review|date=May 1, 2020|issn=0025-987X|volume=71|issue=3|access-date=October 28, 2022|archive-date=October 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028052111/https://digitalcommons.law.mercer.edu/jour_mlr/vol71/iss3/10/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Brewster |first1=Adam |last2=Huey-Burns |first2=Caitlin |date=February 25, 2021 |title=Proposals to restrict voting gain traction in Republican states |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/voting-restriction-proposals-republican-states/ |website=[[CBS News]] |access-date=October 20, 2022 |archive-date=March 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330114129/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/voting-restriction-proposals-republican-states/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Skelley |first=Geoffrey |date=May 17, 2021 |title=How The Republican Push To Restrict Voting Could Affect Our Elections |url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-the-republican-push-to-restrict-voting-could-affect-our-elections/ |access-date=November 28, 2022 |website=[[FiveThirtyEight]] |language=en-US |archive-date=October 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231021064741/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-the-republican-push-to-restrict-voting-could-affect-our-elections/ |url-status=live }}</ref>