Why Legislatures In The Deep-Red States That Sent Romney And Cheney To Washington ‘Vote Like Liberals’

The Republican Party holds majority positions in 22 states’ governorships and legislative bodies whereas Democrats control 17 states, and 11 states have divided governments. The approach to governance in these Republican-controlled states, however, doesn’t always align with the party’s ideology. According to a Daily Wire study, the bigger the Republican legislative majority in a state, the more moderate the Republicans vote on average.

While some of the most red-dominated states may govern in a moderate way, critics question why these states don’t use their full power to implement policies that align with their ideology, such as school choice and restrictions on abortion. Legislatures in deep-red states elect moderate Republicans, despite having a near-monopoly on state policy-making. The mystery of why states with GOP legislative supermajorities do not wield their power the way their deep-blue counterparts like California do has been a topic of debate.

Some Louisiana state legislators face outvoting by Republican in Name Only, or RINOs. Despite having a Republican majority in heavily conservative Louisiana, the Republican House Speaker was elected with more Democrat votes than Republican votes. Critics wonder how states like Louisiana with strong GOP majorities fail to elect conservative members to their statehouses and why residents continue to elect moderate candidates.

One problem in Louisiana is the implementation of “jungle primaries.” This was a strategy used by Democrats when Louisiana was controlled overwhelmingly by them. The jungle primary allows the top two winners of the primary to advance to the general election ballot rather than having to compete with a Republican candidate. The state is so Republican now that the top two vote-getters often include a conservative Republican and a moderate one. This ballot structure allows for interference from Democratic voters, pushing the moderate candidate to victory.

Several Republican states like Wyoming have open primaries that allow Democratic voters to sway Republican primaries. Critics call for closed primaries to solve this issue.

Many voters don’t pay attention to state and local races and simply identify as Republican when it’s the default. Some politicians seeking power know the easiest route to success is to put an R next to their name, meaning they win even if they’re not true conservatives.

Historically, conservatives have supported business interests, yet that is now in question as corporations often function as arms of the Left. Specific cases are Georgia’s recent voting reforms, which were pressured by corporations like Coca-Cola, and South Carolina’s hate-crime law, where Duke Energy played a crucial role in putting pressure on Republicans to pass it.

Many lawmakers go into the legislature as bona fide conservatives, but the existing power structures cause them to compromise on their values. They give in to the establishment, believing it’s what they must do, as they are threatened that they won’t receive bridges or money for roads if they don’t abide.