It was a tough time to be a Republican last election cycle. With the Grand Old Party losing races that should have been won and losing the presidency, for many it seemed like the end was ever nearer for the Republican Party.
Though it may seem like the end of the Republican Party, it is actually just the beginning of a new Republican Party. If Republicans want a shot at the presidency in the future, then they must adapt and change their style of play.
The first thing that the Republican Party must do is change the candidate mold they have been cast into for most of the past century. This mold is of course the old, rich, white male. The party needs to start with younger and more energetic candidates.
They need to pursue candidates like Marco Rubio and Rand Paul if they want to stand a chance in 2016. These candidates will be competing against a well-oiled machine of the Democratic Party. Given that Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic candidate, this need is even stronger.
Paul Ryan was a great start to this cause and the change was seen, with the Republican Party getting more young voters than they had in the last two elections. But again, it was just a start. The GOP needs a face-lift and it must start now if it ever wants to get its feet off the ground.
The Republican Party also must be more willing to negotiate with the Democrats. Though I usually side with the Republican Party, I still scratch my head at times when they refuse to sacrifice any little issue that is placed in front of them. Working together is how we started this country. If we want to continue this country, we must work together and not against one another.
We need leaders from both parties being less like selfish toddlers and more like the adults we elected to serve our best interest. This is also crucial because the Republican Party has gotten a bad rap for not being willing to work with others. If the Republican Party is willing to sacrifice a little more, then the public may be more favorable to them in the polls, thus leading to a more successful election.
Finally, the Republican Party needs to work harder to shed this idea that the Republican Party is racist. I am about to make a statement that might shock many readers: The Republican Party is not full of racists who do not care about others. Boom! I said it. The cat is out of the bag.
Still, the Republicans have done a terrible job of not painting themselves as racist. Now, this does not mean that the Republican Party should start electing people of other races just because of their skin color. What this means is that they need to reach out more to leaders of different communities than they have traditionally. If they do this, then they might start to make some headroom in the next election.
If the Republican Party wants to be more successful, they have to change; it is just the way it is. The Republican Party must become younger and fight off the terrible stereotypes by working with new people if they want to be successful.
Regan Williams is a junior majoring in political science and communication studies. His column runs biweekly on Thursdays.
Leading in today’s Crimson White:
[Opinion] University should pick up financial slack for veterans
[Letter to the Editor] In response to Brad Erthal’s column ‘Liberty means birth control coverage’
[Opinion] Despite contrary claims, college must focus on learning
