Republicans stumble toward diversity
This week’s Southern Republican Leadership Conference included some dramatic moments — many of them aimed at ripping President Barack Obama.
But the deeper, long-term drama may tell us more about where the GOP is going, as it seeks to reclaim control of a changing nation.
First a couple of facts. The United States is a society in rapid and dramatic flux.
Women are moving into positions of real leadership, in corporations, industry, and politics.
Hispanics will continue to grow sharply as a percentage of the population, regardless of what we do with the southern border.
Rural whites — a bulwark of the GOP for decades — will continue to shrink as a smaller and smaller minority.
How was that reflected in New Orleans?
Consider that one of the Republican Party’s fastest rising stars is Marc Rubio, a Cuban-American from Florida.
He’s likely to force aside one of that state’s most powerful white-establishment men, Governor Charlie Crist.
Consider former half-term Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.
When another powerful white-establishment man (Arizona Sen. John McCain) needed a rescue, he called her in. It’s notable that a woman was the top draw at the SRLC.
Consider that the National Republican Committee’s leader is Michael Steele, an African American who talks openly (if often clumsily) of the racial debates swirling within his party.
Consider that another of the GOP’s rock stars is Ron Paul, perhaps the only prominent national politician in the country willing to talk about American “imperialism.”
He is the Dennis Kucinich of the right — but unlike Kucinich, he enjoys much broader appeal among his party’s faithful.
Paul came within 1% of winning the SRLC straw poll.
The winner of that poll, by the way, was Mitt Romney — white man but also a Mormon.
His faith is distrusted and even outright rejected by many of the evangelical Christians who make up the base of the GOP.
In policy terms, Romney was also the architect of a health plan very similar to the one enacted by Democrats this spring.
All of these politicians have strengths and weaknesses.
But taken together they make a clear statement about a Republican Party that is evolving and growing more complex almost as rapidly as the nation as a whole.
A mormon is an example of Republican "diversity"?I find it telling that you didn't mention Bobby Jindal or Anh Cao.
Brunnock -Absolutely, accepting Mormonism is a challenge for many social conservatives.Jindal and Cao are important in this context, too — thanks for mentioning them. –Brian, NCPR
It is really a stretch to say that the Republican party is more diverse than it was in the past. While you mention a few examples a wide shot photo of a large party gathering looks pretty much like a Rothko field painting of white on white. Consider the Republican party during Reconstruction and compare it to the party of today. Yeah, I know, it isn't a fair comparison–or is it?
Be yourself and think for yourself; and while your conclusions may not be infallible, they will be near right than the conclusions forced upon you.–Elbert Hubbard– I did my best,sorry it will never be read my some great people.I have a reading prolbe and I miss up letters/numbers So, That's That!
This is a shallow article written by someone who misses the point. A couple of minorities in a sea of white conservatives… what indication is there that their associated minority groups believe for one second that the Republican party has their present and future interests at heart? None.Perhaps you're one of the people who thought that Hillary supporters would gravitate to Palin simply because she lacks a penis.Sheesh.
There is still more elected whites in the democrat party than minorities. I remember one of the first shots of Obama and his cabinet and it was and is mostly made up of white males. Reality is democrats are still made up of alot of white people.
All my 2nd generation hispanic friends in California are republicans. Many are self-employed and geared toward traditional family values. The 2 strongest candidates running for the two highest offices open in the next election are republican women who made their fortunes as Silicon Valley businesswomen. If you want to know the future of the Republican party, the place to look is where you least expect…California.
with respect to Ron Paul. I think you are overestimating his popularity. He didn't do well in the primaries, winning zero states.I personally find his stance against US imperialism – no need for quotation marks – refreshing. We have hundreds of unnecessary military bases and have gotten involved in an unnecessary and disastrous war in Iraq. It's time to bring are men and women in uniform home!Of course his economic policy is unrealistic, so I won't be voting for him.
Why do I have a sneaking suspicion that all this aforementioned diversity is just window dressing? Can we really believe that Condoleeza Rice was more than a pawn in Dick Cheney's game? Can we really believe that Sarah Palin is not in the pocket of the big boys in the back room? And can we really think that Michael Steele is not the Republican's answer to Barack Obama in much the same way that Sarah Palin was their answer to Hilary Clinton? Maybe it isn't all true but it sure looks that way from the left.
"But taken together they make a clear statement about a Republican Party that is evolving and growing more complex almost as rapidly as the nation as a whole."Brian, you've got to be kidding. Offer some data for this, please, not just an anecdote about a Mormon. W made inroads to Hispanics, then the anti-immigration hysteria of the GOP sent them fleeing to Obama in 08, despite the demographic's socially conservative leanings.A big part of the Tea Party rage is anti-immigrant, which readily morphs into Latino baiting, which is why Harry Reid says he'll bring immigration reform to the Senate floor this year, in hopes of driving up turnout for Congressional races. It's a wedge issue against a GOP that's fighting the future.And African-Americans? Well, there's Michael Steel and, well, there WAS Colin Powell, and, what's Condy doing these days, and, give me a minute…