Garret Ahern
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Steadfast conservatives, along with a few 2016 Republican presidential hopefuls, converged in Des Moines, Iowa, for a “Freedom Summit” this past Saturday. Those in attendance were graced by the words of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and political gadfly Sarah Palin, to name a few. Despite the assembly of these conservative personalities, it was those not in attendance who shed the most light on the current state of the GOP.
Neither former Governors Jeb Bush nor Mitt Romney were seen at Saturday’s forum in Iowa. Though the two have both yet to announce their run for office in 2016, their absence in Iowa is likely a concerted effort to balance their image between moderate understanding and conservative principle.
The younger brother of former President George W. Bush, Jeb is known by many as a geared-to-center Republican with fiscally conservative ideals and socially forward actions. As Governor of Florida, he demonstrated his support for stronger public education through his “A+ Plan” and has proved to be more progressive than his party’s base when it comes to immigration.
Though Jeb Bush has showcased his ability to stand independently from his party on key issues, many of the policies he holds are conservative in nature. When it comes to women’s rights, Bush has stood resolute with the right to life. When questioned about his beliefs on climate change, he has repeatedly identified as “a skeptic.” He can come across as an indecisive candidate, but Bush’s ideals appear staunch in comparison to the flip-flop nature of Romney’s beliefs.
Unlike many figures in the realm of politics, who will adamantly defend their views to the death, Romney holds political sentiments that change with the weather. From gun control to healthcare reform, Romney has been caught changing his mind on key issues numerous times.
In his 2002 race for the Massachusetts governorship, Romney was quoted as saying, “I will preserve and protect a woman’s right to choose and am devoted and dedicated to honoring my word in that regard.” No more than five years later, Romney was recorded saying, “Look, I was pro-choice. I am pro-life. I changed my position.” Again, in 2002, Romney stated, “We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts. I support them.” He then changed his mind in 2008 when he claimed, “I don’t support any gun control legislation; the effort for a new assault weapons ban is something I would oppose.” The list goes on and on.
Either way, both Bush and Romney are politicians and, just like their Democratic counterparts, go to great extents to achieve political success. Nevertheless, you may ask how the individual behavior of Bush and Romney sheds light on the current structure of the Republican Party. The answer can be found if we return to this weekend’s events in Iowa.
When individuals such as Cruz and Palin speak on behalf of the GOP, many of the party’s members ask themselves if they concur. Oftentimes, the answer is “no” or “not exactly.”
For many Americans, the GOP still represents their political views. However, for a growing number of Americans — who in past elections have voted red — the Republican base has become too conservative and too reactionary. This leaves potential candidates such as Romney and Bush in a tight spot: racing to win a Republican primary from a conservative base, while at the same time maintaining popular support in a general election.
In spite of their political track records, Romney and Bush are merely politicians attempting to represent a party in the midst of an identity crisis. Regardless of their absence at this weekend’s summit in Iowa, Bush and Romney have yet to announce their candidacy for 2016, leaving us asking what will come next.