What most of us can agree on is that the party needs some work in order to win elections down the line. According to findings in a new Pew Research Center study, 65 percent of Republicans say their party needs to address “major problems” to compete in future presidential elections. And 59 percent say that the major issue is the party platform.
But how to change the platform and the core positions of the party have not been easy to decide on. If this study tells us anything though, it’s that Republicans want the party to be more conservative. According to the Washington Post:
Given the choice between a more moderate course and a more conservative one, 54 percent choose a more conservative one, while 41 percent choose moderation.
And asked about whether their party has compromised too much, too little or just the right amount, Republicans split into three pretty equal camps. Just 29 percent say it hasn’t compromised enough.
This poll was a bit more confusing for trying to make a decision on where the party should go from here though. People who are planning to run for political office as a Republican need to find a strategy in order to win over the voters, and if anything this poll just made their lives a bit more difficult.
The real struggle here is trying to look at who appreciates what. And according to the study’s findings, the younger generation of Republicans has a very different opinion on where the party should go compared to that of the older Republican base. Politicians must now decide whether to embrace the newer generation of Republicans, as they will soon be the ones running the country, or try to reach out to the base which has so loyally supported them throughout their careers.
What we all know right now is that strategy must be decided on soon. 2014 elections are right around the corner and soon enough we will be looking at another presidential race. Republicans really need to define the platform and know the audience they are reaching.
