{"id":2334713,"date":"2024-08-31T08:07:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-31T12:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-drifts-further-from-gop-orthodoxy-in-bid-to-beat-harris-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-31T08:14:40","modified_gmt":"2024-08-31T12:14:40","slug":"trump-drifts-further-from-gop-orthodoxy-in-bid-to-beat-harris-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-drifts-further-from-gop-orthodoxy-in-bid-to-beat-harris-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump drifts further from GOP orthodoxy in bid to beat Harris &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-drifts-further-from-gop-orthodoxy-in-bid-to-beat-harris-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2334713&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Vative principles that remain\u200d popular among Republican voters.&#8221; Conda argues that\u2064 although Trump has \u2063introduced \u200cpopulist\u200d elements into the\u200d party, he has not\u2064 abandoned core conservative values that resonate with the base.<\/p>\n<p>As Trump\u2062 seeks to\u200b expand his coalition ahead of the \u200d2024 election, he must balance these populist tendencies with the \u200dexpectations of\u200d traditional conservatives. \u200bThis balancing act is particularly evident in his approach to \u200beconomic\u2062 policies, \u2064where while he proposes tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks \u2062that conservatives favor, his more populist initiatives such as\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/survey-shows-bidenomics-means-americans-cant-pay-their-bills\/\" title=\"Survey: Americans Struggle to Pay Bills Under &#039;Bidenomics&#039;\">increased \u200cgovernment spending<\/a> could alienate fiscal conservatives.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover,\u200b Trump&#8217;s approach to social\u200c issues like abortion has drawn both support and criticism.\u2063 While he enjoys backing for appointing\u2062 conservative\u200b justices who\u2064 overturned\u200d *Roe v. Wade*, his\u2062 recent hedging on a\u2062 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-upset-over-roe-among-the-least-likely-to-vote-in-midterms\/\" title=\"Democrats Upset Over Roe Among the Least Likely to Vote in Midterms\">federal abortion ban<\/a> could create rifts with staunch anti-abortion activists. \u2063This faction\u2062 remains essential for GOP \u200belectoral success,\u200c particularly in\u200d primaries.<\/p>\n<p>Trump&#8217;s evolving\u200c stance reflects a broader transformation within \u200cthe\u200d Republican \u2062Party, where traditional conservative\u2062 ideals are now often \u200cfused with a populist rhetoric\u2064 aimed at attracting a wider base. \u2064His ability to navigate these dynamics could shape the direction of the\u2062 party and impact electoral\u200b fortunes in\u200c the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-rnc-launches-new-year-round-election-integrity-department-ahead-of-2024\/\" title=\"RNC creates year-round Election Integrity Department for 2024.\">upcoming presidential race<\/a>. The challenge will be to maintain\u2063 loyalty among\u2064 long-time conservative supporters \u2062while reaching out to new voters, particularly\u200c in crucial swing states that could decide the\u200d election.\u200c <\/p>\n<p>As this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-gop-field-has-a-trump-dilemma-that-the-latest-indictment-has-only-made-worse\/\" title=\"The GOP field has a Trump dilemma that the latest indictment has only made worse\">political landscape continues<\/a> to develop, both \u2064Trump&#8217;s supporters and critics are watching closely to\u2062 see how he\u2062 aligns his policies and rhetoric with the varied interests of the \u2062party&#8217;s constituency leading into 2024.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump drifts further from GOP orthodoxy in bid to beat Harris<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1742729\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>In 2004, real estate mogul and reality TV star <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Donald Trump<\/a> told CNN that he &ldquo;in many cases&rdquo; considered himself more of a Democrat than a Republican.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Fast forward 20 years later, and the former president is once again navigating a political middle ground that is as much about defeating Vice President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kamala-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Kamala Harris<\/a> as it is leaving a permanent mark on his adopted home, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-party\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Republican Party<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Over the past several months, Trump has made a rhetorical shift, dropping the label &ldquo;conservative&rdquo; in favor of describing his politics as &ldquo;commonsense.&rdquo; In March, he explicitly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/trump-says-hes-not-conservative-im-man-common-sense\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>said<\/a> he is &ldquo;not conservative.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump has taken that label to describe the GOP as a whole, telling a crowd in Arizona a week ago, &ldquo;You say what you want &mdash; it&rsquo;s nice to say conservative, but really, we&rsquo;re the party of common sense.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pivot to the middle<\/h2>\n<p>But Trump&rsquo;s words are coinciding with a pivot to the middle on policy that is challenging virtually every tenet of modern conservatism. He&rsquo;s vowed not to &ldquo;touch&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3105887\/trump-proposes-eliminating-taxes-on-social-security-benefits-for-seniors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Social Security<\/a>, moving the party further from calls to raise the retirement age, while on Thursday, he prompted <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/obamacare\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Obamacare<\/a>-era hand-wringing with his proposal to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3137975\/trump-vows-ivf-free-second-administration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>mandate<\/a> that private insurance companies cover the cost of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ivf\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>in vitro fertilization procedures<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>That final proposal, which follows his rejection of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/abortion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>federal abortion ban<\/a>, has rankled the religious Right. At the same time, he&rsquo;s ignored deficit hawks with proposals including &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/live-blog-posts\/trump-accuses-harris-of-being-copycat-on-his-tax-on-tips-pledge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>no tax on tips<\/a>&rdquo; that, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/finance-and-economy\/3135479\/trump-economic-agenda-increase-deficit-4-trillion-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>according to<\/a> the Penn Wharton Budget Model, would increase deficits by more than $4 trillion over the next decade.<\/p>\n<p>Ironically, Trump largely governed as a conservative during his four years in the White House, ushering through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Congress<\/a> a large decrease in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/taxes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>corporate tax rate<\/a> and appointing three <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Supreme Court <\/a>justices who helped overturn <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/roe-v-wade\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Roe v. Wade\">Roe v. Wade<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>But Trump has long been ideologically flexible. In office, he pushed the boundaries of what it meant to be a Republican, particularly with his protectionist and noninterventionist tendencies on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trade\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>trade<\/a> and foreign wars. Four years later, and with the party more firmly in his control, he is testing those limits again.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;What you&rsquo;re seeing is, in broad strokes, the evolution of the Republican, the continuing evolution of the Republican Party,&rdquo; said Ronald Reagan biographer Craig Shirley, who called Trump a &ldquo;change agent&rdquo; akin to the 40th president.<\/p>\n<p>The shift has sent the party in an &ldquo;anti-elitist, pro-populist&rdquo; direction, Shirley said, but he also alluded to the ways in which that change could help Republicans with a more immediate concern: winning in November.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In a micro sense, it&rsquo;s a winning strategy,&rdquo; Shirley said, naming his hawkishness on trade and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/china\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>China<\/a> in particular.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has not steered his party without resistance. Congress, with the help of the Republican-led <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>House<\/a>, still passed tens of billions of dollars in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ukraine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Ukraine<\/a> aid earlier this year despite Trump&rsquo;s opposition to the war with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/russia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Russia<\/a>, while his stance on abortion, meant to assure centrist voters with <em>Roe<\/em> overturned, has become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/3139278\/trump-risking-alienating-pro-life-voters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>political lightening rod<\/a> among social conservatives.<\/p>\n<p>He successfully changed the GOP platform to close off the possibility of a federal abortion ban, leaving the issue to the states, but his latest moves have upset anti-abortion activists in a manner that could hurt turnout from his base in two months.<\/p>\n<p>Lila Rose, the head of the anti-abortion group Live Action, said this week she <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/magazine\/2024\/08\/29\/lila-rose-abortion-trump-interview-00176619?nname=playbook&amp;nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&amp;nrid=f2ed69f8-02c9-4b4b-8e98-8063b98f7f0e&amp;nlid=630318\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>won&rsquo;t vote for Trump<\/a> on Nov. 5 unless he returns to his earlier embrace of her movement and is urging others not to either.<\/p>\n<p>Trump took a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>step in that direction<\/a> on Friday, revealing he would vote against an abortion referendum in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/florida\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Florida<\/a> that would have overridden his home state&rsquo;s six-week ban.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Trump created a new Republican coalition by separating himself from traditional Republican orthodoxy&rdquo; a long time ago, said Dan Schnur, communications director for the late&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-mccain\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sen. John McCain<\/a>&lsquo;s 2000 presidential campaign. &ldquo;Now, the question is whether conservatives will stick with him if he begins to move on abortion and other social issues.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump dances onstage after speaking at a campaign rally at 1st Summit Arena at the Cambria County War Memorial, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. (AP Photo\/Rebecca Droke)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Taking a leaf from the Biden playbook<\/h2>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s pivot is not dissimilar to how President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Joe Biden <\/a>steered his own party in 2020. He went on to win four years in office by rejecting &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/medicare-for-all\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Medicare for All<\/a>&rdquo; and calls to defund the police.<\/p>\n<p>His endeavor at moderation has had some longevity. Harris, running to replace Biden in the White House, has adopted his views in a series of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3138494\/harris-supporters-georgia-unconcerned-policy-flip-flops\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>flip-flops<\/a> from her own progressive run for president in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>But the defund the police movement was a temporary reaction to the murder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/george-floyd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>George Floyd<\/a> at the hands of police, while Trump is threatening to steer his party away from beliefs it has held for decades.<\/p>\n<p>Republican strategist Alex Conant argued the party was &ldquo;pretty united,&rdquo; pointing to last month&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3082281\/wake-up-washington-examiner-assassinations-unity-gop-returns-spotlight\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Republican National Convention<\/a> in Milwaukee.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There is ideological debate within the party between conservatives and populists, but I think Trump has been able to unite them over the last eight years, which is why he&rsquo;s seen political success,&rdquo; he told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;At least in 2016 he was able to attract, you know, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/labor-unions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>union workers<\/a>, some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/independents\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>independents<\/a>. This year, he seems to be doing better than Republicans normally do with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/african-americans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>black voters<\/a>, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hispanics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Hispanic voters<\/a>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&lsquo;Reproductive rights&rsquo; red flag<\/h2>\n<p>But Conant had a word of warning regarding Trump&rsquo;s equivocation on abortion, mindful that &ldquo;for the most part, people have made up their minds about Trump.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of single-issue, pro-life voters, and he has done a terrific job delivering for them, you know, more than any other president,&rdquo; Conant said. &ldquo;But when he talks about protecting reproductive rights, that&rsquo;s a red flag for some vote season voters he&rsquo;s going to need to turn out.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>He acknowledged that the choice is difficult for Trump, however. Democrats overperformed in the 2022 elections in part because the Supreme Court had just issued its abortion decision in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dobbs-v-jackson-womens-health-organization\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Dobbs [v. Jackson Women's Health Organization]\"><em>Dobbs<\/em> <em>v. Jackson Women&rsquo;s Health Organization<\/em><\/a>, and the former president is attempting to avoid a similar fate this cycle.<\/p>\n<p>Abortion access is &ldquo;clearly something that has helped Democrats since the <em>Dobbs<\/em> decision,&rdquo; said Conant, and &ldquo;to the extent that Trump&rsquo;s able to muddy the waters on that issue, that&rsquo;s probably to his advantage.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Trump campaign appears to recognize the fact that it will be required to grow its tent to win in 2024. Trump beat former Secretary of State <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hillary-clinton\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Hillary Clinton<\/a> in 2016 by bringing low-propensity voters into the GOP fold that he dubbed the &ldquo;forgotten men and women of America.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>But high-propensity swing voters in suburban areas, some of whom he lost in 2020, are just as important. Moderation on abortion is one way to win their vote, but Trump has put <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/crime\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>public safety<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/immigration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>illegal immigration<\/a>, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/economy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>economy<\/a> at the center of his election pitch.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Americans are craving commonsense solutions that will lower costs, secure the border, and stop violent crime, which is why President Trump&rsquo;s agenda is not only resonating with the Republican Party faithful but bringing new voters into the fold of his &lsquo;big tent&rsquo; campaign,&rdquo; Anna Kelly, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>The Democrats believe Harris, too, can build a bridge that expands its coalition to include center-right and Republican voters. She pledged on Thursday in her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3138351\/harris-defends-policy-flip-flops-first-interview-values-not-changed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>first interview<\/a> since becoming the Democratic nominee that she would consider appointing a Republican to her Cabinet.<\/p>\n<p>Simultaneously, she is relying on a coalition of &ldquo;old guard&rdquo; Republicans turned off by Trump&rsquo;s rhetoric and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.<\/p>\n<p>This past week, more than 200 former staffers to past Republican nominees, including McCain, George W. Bush, and Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mitt-romney\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Mitt Romney<\/a> (R-UT), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3134730\/trump-campaign-harris-endorsement-bush-mccain-romney-alums\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>endorsed<\/a> Harris, while a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3129553\/republicans-for-harris-dnc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>number of speakers<\/a> at the Democrats&rsquo; convention in Chicago were GOP Trump critics.<\/p>\n<p>Most of the party, including Trump&rsquo;s longtime foe Senate Minority Leader <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mitch-mcconnell\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Mitch McConnell<\/a> (R-KY), has made amends with Trump. A week ago, Trump even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3132881\/gop-trump-bury-hatchet-kemp-house-in-order\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>buried the hatchet<\/a> with Gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/brian-kemp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Brian Kemp<\/a> (R-GA), who had a falling out with Trump over his election fraud claims.<\/p>\n<p>But the pockets of GOP resistance underscore the ways in which Trump remains at odds with segments of his party on not only policy but also temperament.<\/p>\n<p>One problem Trump will have is skepticism from voters that he will follow through on his promises, according to Costas Panagopoulos, a political science professor at Northeastern University, or that &ldquo;he will be able to overcome judicial and legislative obstacles to achieve these goals.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>But he judged that Trump setting himself apart from his party on select issues could also help him frame himself as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/peru-votes-to-impeach-its-fifth-president-in-6-years\/\" title=\"Peru Votes to Impeach Its Fifth President in 6 Years\">anti-establishment candidate<\/a> almost a decade after he entered politics.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Rejecting orthodox views and approaches can also reinforce Trump&rsquo;s efforts to portray himself as an outsider who repudiates the establishment, a perception that appeals to many of his supporters who are frustrated with politicians and the status quo,&rdquo; said Panagopoulos. &ldquo;They want to shake things up, if not dismantle tradition altogether.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Commonsense conservative<\/h2>\n<p>Cesar Conda, former chief of staff to Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/marco-rubio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Marco Rubio<\/a> (R-FL) and founding partner of Republican lobbying firm Navigators Global, advised against overstating Trump&rsquo;s drift from conservatism. He noted that cutting taxes and regulations, strengthening the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/military\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>military<\/a>, and securing the border are &ldquo;all commonsense conservative solutions.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Trump has always been an outsider who doesn&rsquo;t fit establishment labels,&rdquo; Conda said.<\/p>\n<p>But the election could hinge on how convincingly each side negates the pivot to the middle seen with Harris and Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has disavowed Project 2025, a conservative policy agenda that Democrats have used to paint him as extreme. But he&rsquo;s done so by calling the Republicans who devised the blueprint, some of whom worked in the Trump administration, &ldquo;seriously extreme.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Like some on the Right, severe Right, came up with this Project &rsquo;25, I don&rsquo;t even know, some of them I know who they are, but they&rsquo;re very, very conservative,&rdquo; Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/donald-trump-project-2025-rally-b2583142.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>said<\/a> in July. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re sort of the opposite of the radical Left.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, he has begun to mock Harris as a &ldquo;copycat&rdquo; for her rebrand, quipping she should wear a &ldquo;MAGA&rdquo; hat for the policy positions she has adopted since launching her run for president.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1742729\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1742729\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump Moves Away from GOP Norms in Effort to Defeat Harris<\/p>\n<p>In 2004, Donald Trump, the real estate tycoon and reality TV personality, stated in an interview with CNN that he often viewed himself as more of a Democrat than a Republican. Now, two decades later, the former president is once again straddling a political middle ground that focuses on defeating Vice President Kamala Harris while also aiming to leave a lasting impact on the Republican Party he has adopted as his own. Recently, Trump has shifted his rhetoric by abandoning the term &#8220;conservative&#8221; and instead labeling his political stance as &#8220;commonsense.&#8221; In March, he explicitly declared that he does not identify as conservative. He has characterized the GOP broadly by saying at an Arizona rally last week that while it may be nice to call it conservative, \u201cwe\u2019re really the party of common sense.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Shifting Towards Moderation<\/p>\n<p>Trump&#8217;s statements align with a move towards more centrist policies that challenge many core principles of modern conservatism. He has promised not to alter Social Security and moved away from proposals advocating for raising the retirement age. Additionally, he stirred controversy recently by suggesting private insurance companies should cover in vitro fertilization costs\u2014a proposal reminiscent of Obamacare\u2014which upset some within the religious Right. Furthermore, Trump&#8217;s tax proposals like eliminating taxes on tips could lead to over $4 trillion in increased deficits over ten years.<\/p>\n<p>During his presidency from 2016-2020, Trump largely adhered to conservative principles\u2014lowering corporate tax rates and appointing three Supreme Court justices who played roles in overturning Roe v. Wade\u2014but he&#8217;s always been ideologically adaptable. His presidency pushed boundaries regarding what it meant to be Republican through protectionist trade policies and noninterventionist foreign stances.<\/p>\n<p>Craig Shirley, biographer of Ronald Reagan, noted this evolution within the party under Trump&#8217;s influence is akin to Reagan\u2019s transformative role; however, it leans towards an \u201canti-elitist\u201d and \u201cpro-populist\u201d direction which could help Republicans win upcoming elections.<\/p>\n<p>Resistance Within The Party<\/p>\n<p>Despite Trump&#8217;s attempts at reshaping party ideology without facing significant pushback initially\u2014like Congress approving substantial aid for Ukraine despite his opposition\u2014his stance on abortion remains contentious among social conservatives who feel alienated by recent developments.<\/p>\n<p>Lila Rose from Live Action expressed her discontent with Trump\u2019s current position on abortion unless he reaffirms support for anti-abortion measures; she even urged others not to vote for him if this doesn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n<p>Dan Schnur remarked that Trump had previously created a new coalition within the GOP by distancing himself from traditional views but questioned whether conservatives would continue supporting him if he shifts further on social issues like abortion.<\/p>\n<p>Drawing Parallels With Biden<\/p>\n<p>Trump&#8217;s strategy mirrors President Joe Biden&#8217;s approach during his successful 2020 campaign when Biden distanced himself from progressive calls such as &#8220;Medicare for All.&#8221; As Harris campaigns for president now seeking votes across various demographics\u2014including center-right voters\u2014she too aims at broadening her coalition similar to how Biden did four years ago.<\/p>\n<p>While some Republicans have reconciled their differences with Trump\u2014including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell\u2014the ongoing resistance highlights divisions within party ranks regarding both policy positions and temperament.<\/p>\n<p>Political analysts suggest skepticism about whether voters will trust Trump&#8217;s promises or believe he&#8217;ll overcome legislative hurdles necessary for achieving them remains prevalent among constituents wary of establishment politics.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately though both candidates are attempting moderate pivots aimed at winning over swing voters ahead of November elections; how effectively they can navigate these changes will likely determine their success moving forward<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3241,"featured_media":2334714,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Trump-Aug-30-2024.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[34059,6203,4021,5894,3634],"class_list":["post-2334713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-election-2024","tag-gop","tag-harris","tag-politics","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Trump-Aug-30-2024.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2334713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3241"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2334713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2334713\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2334714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2334713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2334713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2334713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}