Who Will Become the Future Face of the Republican Party?

During the 1990s, there was no question who was the face of Republican Party.  With his Contract with America, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich became a very aggressive and visible symbol of GOP ideology. However, things today are not as clear for the Republican Party, even as President Obama finds his place around the White House and Congress.

Right now, the party seems split, both in leadership and common ideals. As the difference between neo-conservatives like Dick Cheney and moderates like Colin Powell becomes greater, the solidity and sustainability of the party seems threatened. But the question remains: Who will become the actual face of the Republican Party? Like you would expect, the list contains a wide variety of characters and some conflicting ideology.

Ron Paul

His outspokenness about “enhanced interrogation,” the Iraq War, and smaller government has raised much intrigue among many within the Republican Party. Although he ran as a Republican during the campaign, Ron Paul refused to endorse either Barack Obama or John McCain because he felt neither represented a majority of his political ideals.

As a powerful proponent of individual liberties and limited government, most consider him to be more in line with the Libertarians in regards to constitutional interpretation and affiliation.

However, it seems that the number of Ron Paul supporters just continues to increase. When Republican Sen. Lindsey Gram recently declared that “Ron Paul is not the leader of the Republican Party,” he was immediately booed and heckled by several Ron Paul supporters.

Indeed, even Hillary Clinton acknowledged that during the campaign, Ron Paul followers were some of the most “enthusiastic supporters” she had ever seen.

As a true constitutional conservative, Paul may be the person to draw together the GOP by redefining its politics to include more of a libertarian, in clear opposition to the Bush-era policies of Dick Cheney.

Dick Cheney

From the beginning of the Obama administration, former Vice President Dick Cheney has criticized nearly every change made by the President from the Bush era under the guise of Obama supposedly “harming national security.” While these claims may be dubious speculation at best, Cheney is gaining quite the audience on conservative talk shows, even though his administration had some of the lowest approval ratings ever.

While no longer in any sort of political office, he still holds an ever prominent, ever growing role in Republican politics and government. Some people even claim he’s being effective in shifting Democratic policies.