Republican Party (United States)

=== Second half of the 20th century ===
==== Post-Roosevelt era ====
{{Main|Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower}}
[[File:Dwight D. Eisenhower, official photo portrait, May 29, 1959 (cropped)(2).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], the 34th president (1953–1961)]]

Eisenhower had defeated conservative leader senator Robert A. Taft for [[1952 Republican National Convention|the 1952 Republican presidential nomination]], but conservatives dominated the domestic policies of the [[Eisenhower administration]]. Voters liked Eisenhower much more than they liked the GOP and he proved unable to shift the party to a more moderate position.<ref name="Nicol C. Rae 1989">Nicol C. Rae, ''The Decline and Fall of the Liberal Republicans: From 1952 to the Present'' (1989)</ref>
{{Main|Presidency of Richard Nixon|Presidency of Gerald Ford}}

==== From Goldwater to Reagan ====
{{multiple image
| align         = left
| total_width   = 222
| caption_align = center
| image1        = Richard Nixon presidential portrait (1).jpg
| caption1      = [[Richard Nixon]], the 37th president (1969–1974)
| image2        = Gerald Ford presidential portrait (cropped 3).jpg
| caption2      = [[Gerald Ford]], the 38th president (1974–1977)
}}
Historians cite [[1964 United States presidential election|the 1964 presidential election]] and [[1964 Republican National Convention|its respective National Convention]] as a significant shift, which saw the conservative wing, helmed by [[Arizona]] senator [[Barry Goldwater]], battle liberal New York governor [[Nelson Rockefeller]] and his eponymous [[Rockefeller Republican]] faction for the nomination. With Goldwater poised to win, Rockefeller, urged to mobilize his liberal faction, retorted, "You're looking at it, buddy. I'm all that's left."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/1964-republican-convention-revolution-from-the-right-915921/|title=How the 1964 Republican Convention Sparked a Revolution From the Right|first=Rick|last=Perlstein|work=[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian Magazine]]|date=August 2008|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=February 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220142328/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/1964-republican-convention-revolution-from-the-right-915921/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/george-will-recalling-rockefeller/2014/11/21/1a615a04-711a-11e4-8808-afaa1e3a33ef_story.html|title=George F. Will: Recalling Rockefeller|first=George|last=F. Will|author-link=George Will|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=November 21, 2014|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027101235/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/george-will-recalling-rockefeller/2014/11/21/1a615a04-711a-11e4-8808-afaa1e3a33ef_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the passage of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]] and [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]], the southern states became more reliably Republican in presidential politics, while northeastern states became more reliably Democratic.

Though Goldwater lost the election in a landslide, [[Ronald Reagan]] would make himself known as a prominent supporter of his throughout the campaign, delivering his famous "[[A Time for Choosing]]" speech for Goldwater. Reagan would go on to [[1966 California gubernatorial election|win the California governorship two years later]].

The GOP would go on to control the White House from 1969 to 1977 under 37th president [[Richard Nixon]], and when he resigned in 1974 due to the [[Watergate scandal]], [[Gerald Ford]] became the 38th president, serving until 1977.  Ronald Reagan would later go on to defeat incumbent Democratic President [[Jimmy Carter]] in the [[1980 United States presidential election]], becoming the 40th president on January 20, 1981.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-ronald-reagans-a-time-for-choosing-endures-after-all-this-time/2014/10/23/d833c49e-587a-11e4-bd61-346aee66ba29_story.html|title=Why Ronald Reagan's 'A Time for Choosing' endures after all this time|first=Steven F.|last=Hayward|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=October 23, 2014|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=December 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220023515/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-ronald-reagans-a-time-for-choosing-endures-after-all-this-time/2014/10/23/d833c49e-587a-11e4-bd61-346aee66ba29_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Reagan era====
{{Main|Presidency of Ronald Reagan|Presidency of George H. W. Bush}}
{{multiple image
| total_width   = 200
| caption_align = center
| image1        = Official Portrait of President Reagan 1981.jpg
| caption1      = [[Ronald Reagan]], the 40th president (1981–1989)
| image2        = George H. W. Bush presidential portrait (cropped).jpg
| caption2      = [[George H. W. Bush]], the 41st president (1989–1993)
}}

The [[Reagan presidency]], lasting from 1981 to 1989, constituted what is known as "[[Reagan era|the Reagan Revolution]]".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Troy |first=Gil |title=The Reagan Revolution: A Very Short Introduction |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2009 |isbn=978-0195317107 |edition=1st}}</ref> It was seen as a fundamental shift from the [[stagflation]] of the 1970s preceding it, with the introduction of [[Reagan's economic policies]] intended to cut taxes, prioritize government [[deregulation]] and shift funding from the domestic sphere into the military to check the [[Soviet Union]] by utilizing [[deterrence theory]]. During a visit to then-[[West Berlin]] in June 1987, he addressed Soviet leader [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] during a speech at the [[Berlin Wall]], demanding that he "[[Tear down this wall!]]". The remark was later seen as influential in the [[fall of the wall]] in November 1989, and was retroactively seen as a soaring achievement over the years.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fisher |first=Marc |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/06/12/tear-down-this-wall-how-reagans-forgotten-line-became-a-defining-presidential-moment/ |title='Tear down this wall': How Reagan's forgotten line became a defining moment |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=June 2017 |access-date=November 7, 2022 |archive-date=November 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108135940/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/06/12/tear-down-this-wall-how-reagans-forgotten-line-became-a-defining-presidential-moment/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The Soviet Union was [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union|dissolved in 1991]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2021/12/24/ussr-breakup-gorbachev-history|title=Looking back at the breakup of the Soviet Union 30 years ago|website=www.wbur.org|date=December 24, 2021|access-date=November 4, 2023|archive-date=November 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104143442/https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2021/12/24/ussr-breakup-gorbachev-history|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/soviet-union-collapse-timeline/31487661.html|title=The Undoing Of The U.S.S.R.: How It Happened|first=Kristyna|last=Foltynova|website=rferl.org|date=October 1, 2021|access-date=November 4, 2023|archive-date=April 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413175407/https://www.rferl.org/a/soviet-union-collapse-timeline/31487661.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.euronews.com/2021/12/24/it-s-30-years-since-the-collapse-of-the-soviet-union|title=It's 30 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union|website=euronews|date=December 24, 2021|access-date=November 4, 2023|archive-date=January 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109160439/https://www.euronews.com/2021/12/24/it-s-30-years-since-the-collapse-of-the-soviet-union|url-status=live}}</ref> Following Reagan's presidency, Republican presidential candidates frequently claimed to share Reagan's views and aimed to portray themselves and their policies as heirs to his legacy.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jbU2mBCgfXkC&pg=PA133|title=American Culture Transformed: Dialing 9/11|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-1137033499|year= 2012|access-date=June 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406235334/http://books.google.com/books?id=jbU2mBCgfXkC&pg=PA133|archive-date=April 6, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

Reagan's vice president, [[George H. W. Bush]], won the presidency in a landslide in [[1988 United States presidential election|the 1988 presidential election]]. However, his term was characterized by division within the Republican Party. Bush's vision of [[economic liberalization]] and international cooperation with foreign nations saw the negotiation and, during the presidency of Democrat [[Bill Clinton]] in the 1990s, the signing of the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] (NAFTA) and the conceptual beginnings of the [[World Trade Organization]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/12/02/how-george-hw-bush-pushed-united-states-embrace-free-trade/|title=How George H.W. Bush pushed the United States to embrace free trade|first=Amanda|last=Erickson|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=December 2, 2018|access-date=May 30, 2021|archive-date=May 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516204027/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/12/02/how-george-hw-bush-pushed-united-states-embrace-free-trade/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Independent politician]] and businessman [[Ross Perot]] decried NAFTA and predicted that it would lead to the [[outsourcing]] of American jobs to [[Mexico]]; however, Clinton agreed with Bush's trade policies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trade-nafta-timeline/opposed-from-the-start-the-rocky-history-of-nafta-idUSKCN1AW09M|title=Opposed from the start, the rocky history of NAFTA|work=[[Reuters]]|date=August 16, 2017|access-date=May 30, 2021|archive-date=January 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115210509/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trade-nafta-timeline/opposed-from-the-start-the-rocky-history-of-nafta-idUSKCN1AW09M|url-status=live}}</ref>

Bush [[1992 United States presidential election|lost his re-election bid in 1992]], receiving 37 percent of the [[popular vote (United States presidential election)|popular vote]]; Clinton garnered a plurality of 43 percent, and Perot took third place with 19 percent. While there is debate about whether Perot's candidacy cost Bush re-election, [[Charlie Cook]] asserted that Perot's messaging carried weight with Republican and conservative voters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/did-perot-spoil-1992-election-for-bush-its-complicated-11562714375|title=Did Perot Spoil 1992 Election for Bush? It's Complicated.|first=Eliza|last=Collins|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=July 10, 2019|access-date=May 30, 2021|archive-date=June 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609164408/https://www.wsj.com/articles/did-perot-spoil-1992-election-for-bush-its-complicated-11562714375|url-status=live}}</ref> Perot subsequently formed [[Reform Party of the United States of America|the Reform Party]]; future Republican president [[Donald Trump]] was a member.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/05/donald-trump-reform-party-2000-president|title=How Trump's political playbook evolved since he first ran for president in 2000|first=Edward|last=Helmore|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=February 5, 2017|access-date=May 30, 2021|archive-date=February 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210216014439/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/05/donald-trump-reform-party-2000-president|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Gingrich Revolution ====
{{See also|Republican Revolution}}
[[File:NewtGingrich.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Official portrait of [[Newt Gingrich]], the 50th [[speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives]] (1995–1998)]]

In [[1994 United States elections|the 1994 elections]], the Republican Party, led by House minority whip [[Newt Gingrich]], who campaigned on the "[[Contract with America]]", [[Republican Revolution|won majorities in both chambers of Congress, gained 12 governorships, and regained control of 20 state legislatures]]. However, most voters had not heard of the Contract and the Republican victory was attributed to traditional mid-term anti-incumbent voting and Republicans becoming the majority party in [[Dixie]] for the first time since Reconstruction.<ref name="NPR-gop-pledge" /> It was the first time the Republican Party had achieved a majority in the House [[1952 United States House of Representatives elections|since 1952]].<ref name="Kennedy">{{cite web|url=https://www.history.com/news/midterm-elections-1994-republican-revolution-gingrich-contract-with-america|title=The 1994 Midterms: When Newt Gingrich Helped Republicans Win Big|first=Lesley|last=Kennedy|work=[[History (American TV network)|History]]|date=October 9, 2018|access-date=May 29, 2021|archive-date=April 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428164417/https://www.history.com/news/midterm-elections-1994-republican-revolution-gingrich-contract-with-america|url-status=live}}</ref> Gingrich was made speaker, and within the first 100 days of the Republican majority, every proposition featured in the Contract was passed, with the exception of term limits for members of Congress, which did not pass in the Senate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2007/11/congress-runs-into-republican-revolution-nov-8-1994-006757|title=Congress runs into 'Republican Revolution' Nov. 8, 1994|first=Andrew|last=Glass|work=[[Politico]]|date=November 8, 2007|access-date=May 29, 2021|archive-date=March 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309004632/https://www.politico.com/story/2007/11/congress-runs-into-republican-revolution-nov-8-1994-006757|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="NPR-gop-pledge">{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2010/09/23/130068500/watching-washington-gop-pledge|title=GOP's 'Pledge' Echoes 'Contract'; But Much Myth Surrounds '94 Plan|first=Ron|last=Elving|newspaper=[[NPR]]|date=September 23, 2010|access-date=May 29, 2021|archive-date=June 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210601204151/https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2010/09/23/130068500/watching-washington-gop-pledge|url-status=live}}</ref> One key to Gingrich's success in 1994 was nationalizing the election,<ref name="Kennedy" /> which in turn led to his becoming a national figure during [[1996 United States House of Representatives elections|the 1996 House elections]], with many Democratic leaders proclaiming Gingrich was a zealous radical.<ref name="Baer">{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1996-11-07-1996312030-story.html|title=Revolutionary Gingrich suddenly is a centrist offering to help Clinton Election showed speaker to be 'slightly more popular than Unabomber'; ELECTION 1996|first=Susan|last=Baer|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|date=November 7, 1996|access-date=May 29, 2021|archive-date=June 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210601204128/https://www.baltimoresun.com/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hoover.org/research/1996-house-elections-reaffirming-conservative-trend|title=The 1996 House Elections: Reaffirming the Conservative Trend|first1=John F.|last1=Cogan|first2=David|last2=Brady|publisher=[[Hoover Institute]]|date=March 1, 1997|access-date=May 29, 2021|archive-date=October 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019015554/https://www.hoover.org/research/1996-house-elections-reaffirming-conservative-trend|url-status=live}}</ref> The Republicans maintained their majority for the first time [[1928 United States House of Representatives elections|since 1928]] despite [[Bob Dole]] losing handily to Clinton in [[1996 United States presidential election|the presidential election]]. However, Gingrich's national profile proved a detriment to the Republican Congress, which enjoyed majority approval among voters in spite of Gingrich's relative unpopularity.<ref name="Baer" />

After Gingrich and the Republicans struck a deal with Clinton on the [[Balanced Budget Act of 1997]], which included tax cuts, the Republican House majority had difficulty convening on a new agenda ahead of [[1998 United States House of Representatives elections|the 1998 elections]].<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/07/us/the-speaker-steps-down-the-career-the-fall-of-gingrich-an-irony-in-an-odd-year.html|title = The Speaker Steps Down: The Career; the Fall of Gingrich, an Irony in an Odd Year|newspaper = [[The New York Times]]|date = November 7, 1998|last1 = Mitchell|first1 = Alison|access-date = October 13, 2019|archive-date = December 19, 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201219165407/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/07/us/the-speaker-steps-down-the-career-the-fall-of-gingrich-an-irony-in-an-odd-year.html|url-status = live}}</ref> During the ongoing [[impeachment of Bill Clinton]] in 1998, Gingrich decided to make Clinton's misconduct the party message heading into the elections, believing it would add to their majority. The strategy proved mistaken and the Republicans lost five seats, though whether it was due to poor messaging or Clinton's popularity providing a [[coattail effect]] is debated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/06/did-talk-of-impeaching-clinton-damage-republicans-in-1998.html|title=Did Impeachment Plans Damage Republicans in 1998?|first=Ed|last=Kilgore|work=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]|date=June 6, 2019|access-date=May 29, 2021|archive-date=March 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210316043902/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/06/did-talk-of-impeaching-clinton-damage-republicans-in-1998.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Gingrich was ousted from party power due to the performance, ultimately deciding to resign from Congress altogether. For a short time afterward, it appeared [[Louisiana]] representative [[Bob Livingston]] would become his successor; Livingston, however, stepped down from consideration and resigned from Congress after damaging reports of affairs threatened the Republican House's legislative agenda if he were to serve as speaker.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/12/clinton-impeachment/573940/|title=The Clinton Impeachment, As Told By The People Who Lived It|first1=David A.|last1=Graham|first2=Cullen|last2=Murphy|magazine=[[The Atlantic]]|date=December 2018|access-date=May 29, 2021|archive-date=April 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429042411/https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/12/clinton-impeachment/573940/|url-status=live}}</ref> Illinois representative [[Dennis Hastert]] was promoted to speaker in Livingston's place, serving in that position until 2007.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/3900854/dennis-hastert-livingston-scandal/|title=How a Scandal Made Dennis Hastert the Speaker of the House|first=Lily|last=Rothman|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=May 28, 2015|access-date=May 29, 2021|archive-date=October 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025203915/https://time.com/3900854/dennis-hastert-livingston-scandal/|url-status=live}}</ref>