Before I dive further into the 2016 national platform, I thought it’d be worth looking at what else is out there from the state Republican parties. Maybe there’s something inspirational?
My Approach
I took some time and visited each state party committee website, one by one, and looked for a few things:
- Does the state party have an identifiable platform linked to from its website at all — anything it calls a platform, regardless of format;
- If so, does that platform mention any even somewhat specific action items; and
- If so, does it mention anything specific to the state (even just obligatory).
This was not an in-depth, scholarly review of each party’s platform and its specifics — it was a quick scan, a review, a spot-check. While I did read each website and platform, and took notes, I didn’t do anything sophisticated. I don’t want to portray the work as more than it was.
Just Barely Half Have Any Platform At All
After spending a few weeks going through all of these, here are a few observations:
- Just more than half (27) of the 50 state party committees (not counting DC [which has a platform!] and the territories) has a platform listed on their website. Of those, many are from years prior to 2020, unfortunately, but I counted them nonetheless;
- There are some near-universal threads throughout the state platforms, including: references to the Declaration of Independence or Constitution; reference to protections for the unborn; references to “traditional marriage” in various ways; and some nods to fiscal responsibility and free trade;
- The platforms are at their best when they provide some high level principles but then list explicit state-relevant issues or actions the party supports — notable in some western states in particular, but present in a variety of places in various ways;
- Only one (Texas) seems to acknowledge the pandemic we’re in; others (Oklahoma) really want you to know we don’t live in a “democracy”;
- The variety is fascinating — some (Indiana) are glossy, marketing brochures; others are strictly business bullet points; several kind of jump around incoherently and occasionally in contradictory ways; many read like people trying to sound profound;
- Among the 23 state party websites without a platform, some link to the 2016 national platform, some have some basic “values” or a “creed” listed, others have nothing.
You can see my very brief synopsis and links to each website below.
Ideas Lean, Rhetoric Fat
My biggest takeaway, though, was how remarkably bereft of ideas — and fat on verbose language and generic rhetoric — are most of these platforms.
You get a little bit of flavor of how the party might differ here or there, but few really expressed how they want to achieve anything.
Several, for example, reference the 10th Amendment to the Constitution — which is terrific, I’m a big fan. But none of those highlight specific ways, pursuant to the reference, they believe Republicans seeking or holding office (at any level) should exercise or protect those 10th Amendment powers. The Kansas party platform is perhaps most guilty of this in that it calls for a “convention of states” — but to do what, precisely? Are there no other steps to be recommended before such a move (that several other states actually disavow in their platforms)?
Similarly, many – as noted – reference “traditional marriage.” Only Illinois (that I recall) explicitly supports actions at any level of government on the subject. None otherwise say Republican officeholders or candidates should take any specific steps. So is this just a cultural statement of belief or do state parties want legislators to somehow undermine or overturn Obergefell v. Hodges in some way (and if so, how, or what is the end game?)?
This is an issue across the board, in my opinion: too much sizzle, not enough steak. And even the sizzle is often a bit weak. Time and again it could be Republicans or Democrats saying half of these things. We might return to that in another post.
Bottom line: if platforms are to be useful at all, they have to be far more focused, far more action-oriented, and far more solutions-driven. They need to actually answer the basic question implicit in a platform: what do these states want their Republican representatives to actually do?
The State of the State Party Platforms
The Alabama Republican Party has a brief platform on its website (and also a very nice “video platform”). It’s light on specifics — “We support standing at the presentation of our national anthem” is one specific, as are, “We oppose the use of public funds to perform or promote abortion,” “oppose the implementation of the Common Core Curriculum,” and “support Alabama as a ‘Right to Work’ state.” It also calls out supporting legislation, “requiring … secure photo identification when voting” (which I believe is already required in Alabama).
The Alaska Republican Party has a pretty strong platform in that it appears to balance general Republican principles with specific actions tailored to what matters in the state. There are 64 bullet points across economic (“we support balanced budgets,” but also support, “Alaska as a right-to-work state,” “the responsible expansion and improvement of Alaska’s transportation infrastructure,” and “legal immigration”), natural resources (“we support the responsible development of all of Alaska’s resources, and the equitable sharing of federal royalties with the State, for the maximum benefit of all Alaskans”), and more. It even supports the abolition of the U.S. Department of Education (specificity!), and calls out elements of the U.S. Constitution as relevant to Alaska.
The Arizona Republican Party doesn’t appear to have a platform of its own and links instead to the 2016 / 2020 national platform. The website does have several platform-ish elements: it echoes the national platform in saying our “country is exceptional” in one section, and says, “We are the Party that promotes jobs, assures opportunity and prosperity for all Americans” in another. Both parts of the site seem to reflect standard Republican positions, despite the party committee censuring former Sen. Jeff Flake and Gov. Doug Ducey.
The Republican Party of Arkansas has a 2020 platform that, while much of it reads pretty general, has a couple of Arkansas-specific call-outs — eg, “we similarly oppose trade policies or agreements that encumber the ability of Arkansans to export their products.” It applauds those combating “the scourge of opioid abuse” and “human trafficking,” opposes printing government forms in anything other than English, like Alaska it mentions “traditional marriage” as being “between one man and one woman” (both Alabama and Arizona’s websites mention “traditional marriage” but do not define it). There’s a lot more there, too.
The California Republican Party has a platform on its website that, like Alaska’s, feels very focused on what would matter to Californians (I say as someone who is not a Californian, of course). And it’s loaded with specifics: “incentivizing the construction of housing” to help bring down housing prices, constructing new above ground water storage facilities, repealing specific laws to reduce crime and protect public safety, “pay as you go” financing for public transportation infrastructure, ongoing support for a uniform property tax rate, and more. Like others it calls out traditional marriage / one man / one woman, but also – interestingly – calls out the importance of two-parent families independent of the latter.
The Colorado Republican Committee website links to the 2016 platform (not even the 2016 one with the 2020 cover letter) and lets you buy a “Trump 2020” face mask.
The Connecticut Republican Party doesn’t have a platform on its website, but it highlights a few general principles outlined and links to a “Why am I a Republican?” video. The principles are all great – “smaller more efficient government,” “removal of burdensome regulation,” etc. – but no indication what any of this would mean in Connecticut specifically.
The Delaware Republican Party doesn’t appear to have a platform on its website either — but it does say the party “stands united with our forefathers,” which is comforting, and is “dedicated to continuing to make Delaware the very best place.”
The Republican Party of Florida doesn’t have a platform on its website, but it does have a mission statement that – like Connecticut and Delaware – lists some very high-level items, like promoting “the principles upon which our nation and our state were founded: freedom, liberty, personal responsibility, and accountability,” advocating “fiscally-sound, common-sense solutions,” providing “the best education to our children.”
The Georgia Republican Party has no platform on its website, but it does say it “works tirelessly with our donors, activists and candidates to elect Republicans and continue the tradition of conservative leadership.”
The Republican Party of Hawaii has a platform that, to its credit, calls for some very specific and state-relevant actions: limiting property tax increases and cap them for seniors, eliminating the state estate tax, controlling errant litter, and more. It endorses ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i as an official language in the state (in contrast to other state party platforms that believe only English should be recognized). And like California it notes the importance of two-parent families (but does not refer to or define marriage otherwise). There are plenty of references to founding documents and principles, but also a challenge to “all government bodies in Hawai‘i” to embrace transparency, reduce costs, and learn from other governments across the country.
The Idaho Republican Party website won’t come up in my browser as of 1/24/21 because its security certificate appears to be out of date. Will check back. Update 2/28: The website is back! It has a platform for 2020! It notes the size and cost of government (writ large, no specifics) “must be reduced,” reduced taxes (including an interesting line about supporting an overhaul at the federal level that includes universal participation), repealing the 17th amendment to the Constitution. It also calls for free and fair trade for Idaho farmers, and more.
The Illinois Republican Party has a “what we believe” section and a platform … from 2016. The platform has some specifics — adding to Illinois’ nuclear power capacity; repeal of Illinois’ FOID Act and enactment of concealed carry legislation; and like Arkansas references “support efforts to expand foreign markets for the goods produced” by those within the state. The party also references marriage as being between one man and one woman, and endorses an amendment to enshrine the Defense of Marriage Act into law.
The Indiana Republican State Committee has a platform from 2018 (and helpfully links to previous ones too). After an opening that mentions many current and past Republican elected officials, it lays out some core principles and then initiatives of the state leadership and what they mean. For example, under, “Cultivate a strong & diverse economy,” it talks about frequent trade missions to get foreign countries to invest more in the state; under “Attack the drug epidemic,” it calls out “expanding the number of opioid treatment centers; it also supports a balanced budget amendment for the state.
The Republican Party of Iowa has a platform that starts off with principles and then gets right into some Iowa specifics: “a ‘life begins at conception’ bill,” state legislation “to provide for tuition vouchers, tax deductions, or tax credits to permit parents’ choice in educating their children,” and more. There are a lot of national agenda items too.
The Kansas Republican Party links to a platform from 2018. It calls for a convention of states “so that states can reassert their power” but doesn’t explain what power it wants the state to assert, or how that would guarantee or lead to any specific outcome (or what a preferred outcome would be). Most of the platform is generic and national, though it does “support requiring Kansans to show a government-issued photo ID to vote in any election in our state,” and “the purging of the Kansas voter rolls of ineligible voters…” It also opposes “expanding Medicaid and other federal health care programs” in the state, and supports “implementation of the Fair Tax which would eliminate all individual and corporate income tax in Kansas.”
The Republican Party of Kentucky links to the 2016 national platform.
The Republican Party of Louisiana links to the 2016 national platform.
The Maine Republican Party has a 2020 platform on its site that makes repeated reference to Maine and its constitution (which I love). Some Maine-specific policies it supports include “enacting ‘Right to Work’ laws,” “eliminating Maine’s income tax,” abolishing the U.S. Department of Education, supports “the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” and more.
The Maryland Republican Party has sadly little on its website, and no platform that I can find.
The Massachusetts Republican Party links to a 2018 platform that feels very bespoke to the state — keeping thinkers and entrepreneurs in the state, protecting the state’s environment, maintaining control of their own health care system. Feels relevant and decently specific.
The Michigan Republican Party doesn’t appear to have or link to a platform on its website, but it does list these values and has Trump 2020 face masks for sale.
The Republican Party of Minnesota doesn’t appear to have or link to a platform either, but here again are a few things “about” the party — and some old Trump logo gear (for reference).
The Mississippi Republican Party links to a platform right on the front page … from 2016. It’s pretty generic, but gets more specific when talking about public safety (eg, “the development of more church and community-based rehabilitation programs for non-violent offenders”).
The Missouri Republican Party has a 2020 platform … but says less about Missouri than it does about former President Trump. It refers to “Trump’s economy,” Trump’s “great achievements,” and so on. It states that electing Republicans “will make Missouri safer, stronger, and more economically competitive,” but doesn’t say precisely how.
The Montana Republican Party doesn’t appear to have or link to a platform, but does have a “vision” in the form of a letter from the party chairman that is wonderfully forward-looking — to 2022! It says, “Once again we have a clear choice in 2022: Freedom or socialism,” and “That’s the winning message that will continue to keep Montana Red in 2022.”
The Nebraska Republican Party links to a platform … from 2016. They can apparently find time to censure Sen. Ben Sasse and to create a “STOP ANTIFA” email harvesting petition, but couldn’t find time to write a new platform. Regardless, the 2016 one isn’t bad and is at least focused somewhat on Nebraska, even as it calls for US Constitutional amendments regarding a balanced budget, banning desecration of the American flag (while also “reaffirm[ing] our commitment to the freedoms of religion and speech guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States”), banning abortions, and establishing English as our national language.
The Nevada Republican Party has a 2020 platform with several Nevada-specific call-outs: supporting the elimination of specific taxes, streamlining mining permitting, and controlled fire and grazing management. But it also calls for the elimination of specific federal departments and agencies, and withdrawal from the United Nations. Whatever you think of it, I appreciate the simple and straightforward bullet points.
The New Hampshire Republican Party also links to a platform from 2016. It, like some others, does have a few NH-specific items including “work[ing] with municipalities to streamline planning and zoning barriers to business,” “legislation outlawing Sharia law” in New Hampshire (which I don’t believe I knew was a real threat in New Hampshire), and encouraging “private development of a balanced, safe and environmentally sensitive transportation system to provide greater commuter and commercial access to and within our state.”
The New Jersey Republican Party just links to the 2016 national platform.
The Republican Party of New Mexico doesn’t appear to have or link to a platform of any kind. But it does have this somewhat terrifyingly cultish t-shirt for sale.
The New York Republican State Committee has more information on its chairman than on what Republicans in the state want to do for the state.
The North Carolina Republican Party has a 2020 platform with some NC specifics such as, “mak[ing] adoptions in North Carolina easier to access,” “reforming the mental health system,” and “supporting community colleges.”
The North Dakota Republican Party has a “platform” that is really more of a few high level bullet points. I appreciate this call out: “Legislators … should consider this Platform responsibly before supporting or opposing legislation.” For sure. If you’re going to belong to a party and have a platform it ought to mean something!
The Ohio Republican Party has no apparent platform linked to on its website, but it does say in its “about” section that “we are the party of the working class.”
The Oklahoma Republican Party has a 2020 platform that starts out by explaining to people our system of government is in *not* a democracy but a “constitutional Republic.” And any attempt to call the United States a “democracy” will be opposed by Republicans in Oklahoma. Among other things it also says, “we believe when evolution is taught; Biblical creation and intelligent design must receive equal funding, class time, and materials,” “support curricula that promote national sovereignty and oppose one-world government and global citizenship,” and “oppose the portrayal of homosexual or promiscuous behavior in a positive light in public schools.” They also support eliminating Oklahoma’s state income tax, full funding of the state’s retirement systems, and rescind the call for a Constitutional convention.
The Oregon Republican Party website links to a 2019 platform with some state-specific items, including, “proactive wildfire threat reduction efforts,” “hardening our water purification infrastructure against all threats,” and “ reviewing, repealing, and reforming overly restrictive land use laws” that drive up home prices. No word on how they feel about calling the U.S. a “democracy.”
The Republican Party of Pennsylvania doesn’t appear to have or link to a platform, but in its “about” section it does say first and foremost the party wants to win the war on terror.
The Republican Party of Rhode Island doesn’t appear to have or link to a platform, but does list “jobs,” “lower taxes,” “immigration reform,” and “ethics & transparency” as the “issues that are facing every Rhode Islander.” Each one goes into a little more detail — eg, for jobs, it calls for a “competitive sales tax and tax code in line with neighboring states.”
The South Carolina Republican Party has a platform that aims to limit the ability of localities to tax without state approval, reduce the rates of teen pregnancy, and a few other state-specific items in addition to the general slew of more national and general beliefs.
The South Dakota Republican Party has a platform from 2018 that is pretty general. They support “support balanced government budgets” (SC seems to do pretty well in that regard!), “respect the American flag and encourage flag etiquette,” “support private efforts to develop and utilize traditional, new, and renewable energy resources,” and more.
The Tennessee Republican Party just links to the 2016 national platform. It does say the purpose of the party includes “increasing public awareness of the Republican position on public issues” — whatever those may be, of course.
The Texas Republican Party has a 2020 platform which is loaded with Texas-specific items including, relevantly, hardening the Texas electric grid. The threats called out don’t include freak winter storms, but prescient nonetheless. One bullet says flatly it supports free trade but then opposes or calls for US withdrawal from free trade agreements. The platform is also the first I’ve seen to acknowledge the COVID-19 pandemic, opposing the release of prisoners, mask mandates, and lockdowns. In general, while it has many of the same platitudes as others, this platform does a better job than most of stating pretty specific things it supports and opposes.
The Utah Republican Party doesn’t appear to have or link to a platform from its website.
The Vermont Republican Party links to a platform that is pretty brief and generic — but better than nothing.
The Republican Party of Virginia has a creed but no platform (that I see on its website). Perhaps with a convention and gubernatorial elections this year we’ll see more.
The Washington State Republican Party doesn’t appear to have or link to a platform on its website.
The West Virginia Republican Party has a 2020 – 2024 platform with some state-specific items, including “elimination of the business franchise tax,” “focusing attention on the emerging shale natural gas development and maximizing the involvement of local businesses and workers to capture the economic gain from these activities,” and “enforcing clean air and water standards using sound science and common sense.”
The Republican Party of Wisconsin has a platform that “clearly states the principles that make America great.” It says, “The Republican Party must re-teach the timeless truths that have made this country great in the past and will do so in the future.” But there aren’t many specifics here — either of what makes us great or how they’ll continue to make us great, in WI or elsewhere.
The Wyoming Republican Party has a 2020 platform that is both short and light on specifics, but does note the party “opposes the unionization of public employees and supports the Right to Work Law,” “believes in the state’s primacy over water, wildlife, minerals and natural resources,” and “supports the protection of private property from the use of eminent domain, civil asset forfeiture, amortization or inverse condemnation.”
