Main Street Republicans
Encyclopedia
Main Street Republicans is a term used to describe a philosophy in the Republican Party of the United States
.
There are three meanings for this term.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
There are three meanings for this term.
- Generally, the term "Main Street Republican" is used to describe the party's small-town, rural, and small-business supporters, generally perceived as being more socially conservativeConservatismConservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
than the big-business "Wall StreetWall StreetWall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
" faction which is largely perceived as being predominantly in favor of reduced taxation and business regulation and as either unconcerned or openly hostile to frequently held "Main Street" positions in opposition to abortionAbortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, gay rights, and similar issues of major conern.
- In the U.S. stateU.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, the term "Main Street Republicans" is used to describe the more moderateModerateIn politics and religion, a moderate is an individual who is not extreme, partisan or radical. In recent years, political moderates has gained traction as a buzzword....
faction in the New Hampshire House of RepresentativesNew Hampshire General CourtThe General Court of New Hampshire is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The lower house is the New Hampshire House of Representatives with 400 members. The upper house is the New Hampshire Senate with 24 members...
, in contrast to the more conservative group styled the "House Republican Alliance".
- In the CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, the Republican Main Street PartnershipRepublican Main Street PartnershipThe Republican Main Street Partnership is a group of moderate members of the United States Republican Party. They tend away from the dominant social conservatism of many Republicans and towards a moderate fiscal conservatism and limited government to a degree. The group is the rough equivalent of...
is a similar moderate group composed of Republican members less concerned with social conservatismSocial conservatismSocial Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
than with fiscal issues. In addition to 37 Representatives and 6 Senators the group also identifies 2 current GOP governorGovernorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
s as members.