By: Russell Dye
It is the year 2013. The United States has been a country for over 237 years. The Republican Party is now over 159 years old. It is one of the oldest and most contemporary parties in our nation’s storied history; however, at the moment it is at a crossroads. Who is the Republican Party’s leader? This question has long been debated since President Obama’s election in 2008, an election which left the GOP scratching its head. Democrats have been clearly lead by President Obama since 2008 and will likely look to Hilary Clinton after the President’s departure from office in 2016. But what about the GOP? In this article I will look at a few options of whom the GOP may turn to for its future leadership roles. The necessity for the GOP to find a leader and unite around one group or cause is grave, and not doing so in the past five years has severely hurt the GOP on Election Day.
So who is in charge? Is it the “Old Guard” of conservative leadership filled with congressmen such as John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, or Eric Cantor? What about the new guys in town such as Senators Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, or Marco Rubio? What about Republican Governors such as Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal, Scott Walker, or Nikki Haley? How about RNC Chairmen Reince Priebus? The Tea-Party? Or even political pundits such as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Sarah Palin, or Karl Rove? As we can see, the GOP has a lot of interesting people to choose from, but which one works best for the Republican Party’s future?
The Old Guard: This group, filled with men who have become household names within the GOP, has been around for a while. John McCain, obviously one of the more recognizable names on this list due to his past presidential run, has come under some fire lately within the circles of the GOP. Along with his colleagues such as Lindsey Graham, the “Old Guard” of GOP leadership has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way in recent years. Many blame them for creating the idea that the GOP has become the party of “no” in Washington; however, their influence should not be taken lightly. Many still see these men as big players in Washington, but obviously as each day wears down, so does their influence. They simply cannot lead the party for much longer. Republicans will not allow it and neither will time itself.
The New Guys: Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and Marco Rubio were not household names a few years ago; however, they have truly burst onto the scene, while providing younger faces to look at within the GOP ranks. Their influence has already been felt across the board, with each of the three men being eyed as possible 2016 Presidential candidates. They are more fiery than the old guys. They have given the GOP some personality that it seemed to be lacking in the past. They seem to have lit a spark within GOP circles, but will long-standing conservatives buy it? All three men have a chance to do something big within their party, but which one will become the perennial face of the GOP, and which one will become the next John McCain?
The Governors: This group should not be taken lightly. Currently holding thirty of the fifty state governorships, GOP governors are certainly major players in the Republican Party and country. Chris Christie has become the face of the group. His tenacious drive towards political success has helped him greatly within party ranks; however, keep your eye out on Scott Walker. He is the sleeper pick within this group of potential leaders. The true face and future of the GOP may lie within this group of people. The leadership felt within the executive branch of GOP held states will help move the Republican Party forward if continued success is seen throughout the states in which they currently hold office. Their biggest rival for the title of party leader lies within the previously mentioned “New Guys.” The real question though is can they all get along?
Reince Priebus and the RNC: This RNC Chair is a wildcard. Preibus cannot seem to find a place within his party. No one in the party really listens to him, but is he not truly the one in control? The greatest chance Preibus has of being a party leader is deciding how to promote a party platform and gaining money for support of GOP candidates. He will not amount to much more than being a figurehead for the future unless he finds a way to help the GOP more than hurt.
The Tea-Party: The Tea-Party for the most part is dying on a National scale. The influence of this group of people within American politics is being lost as each day passes; however, the influence of the Tea-Party can still be felt in the GOP primaries and local races. With that being the case, the Tea-Party still has a lot of control within the GOP. One major problem facing the GOP is deciding how to mix itself with the Tea-Party. Could tension between the two groups cause more of a divide within the party? Should the GOP risk more division within itself?
Political Pundits: Conservative talk radio hosts and pundits such as Rush Limbaugh are highly influential within the party; however, they simply do not have the chance to lead. Yes, they can lead through their words, but not having the ability to lead through action does not make them viable candidates to lead the GOP’s future. Their influence will help decide a leader, but their influence will not do much more than that.
In recap, the two most viable groups for leadership are the “New Guys” and GOP Governors. No two other groups right now seem to have the attention of the American people and conservatives quite like these two. Their influences will be of great importance in future GOP legislation and election, but will they play nice with each other for the time being? Probably not.
