The Future of the Republican Party

This discussion featured alternative views on the challenges facing the Republican Party and the impact that the internal discussions occurring in the party will have on policy - both when in the majority and when in the minority. No matter your political views, President Trump has had a major impact on the prioritization of issues and talking points within the Republican Party.

Tom Rice, PhD, professor of Political Science, served as Moderator. 

Keynote Speakers:

• Terry Nelson, Republican Party political consultant and founding/managing partner at FP1 Strategies, on the ongoing evolution of the Republican electoral coalition and what it means for the future of the Party.
• Alan Abramowitz, professor of Political Science, Emory. Professor Abramowitz research involves party realignment in the U.S., elections, and voting behavior. He will discuss how personalities, population demographics, and the Constitutional structures of American politics will shape the future of the Republican Party.
• David Young, former member of the US House of Representatives for Iowa’s 3rd District (2015-2019), on how the Republican Party has changed in the last 20 years and where it is headed.

Reactors for the discussion:

• Chris Hagenow, Iowans for Tax Relief
• Representative Joe Mitchell, Henry County
• Representative Michael Bousselot, Polk County

Topics discussed included:

• How do the policy views of Trump supporters differ from those of the traditional Conservatives in the Republican Party?
• How do these differences affect the traditional constituencies of the Republican Party as compared to newer constituencies attracted to the Trump agenda?
• How will these differences affect the midterm elections and the party’s ability to regain the majority in the US House and Senate? And the presidential election in 2024?

This event was free and open to the public, and can be viewed in its entirety below. Read an article about the event in the Daily Iowan here.