The GOP has a long history in Wisconsin. But what does it stand for?
When eight members of the GOP take the stage Wednesday night at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee for the first Republican Presidential Primary Debate, it will represent the latest in a long chain of significant Wisconsin events concerning the Republican party, including its founding.
Here's a little more history about the meaning of the GOP acronym and the party's origin in American's Dairyland.
What's the meaning of GOP?
It stands for "grand old party. "The term "GOP" is often used interchangeably with the official name to refer to the Republican Party.
As early as the 1870s, politicians and newspapers began referring to the Republicans as the "grand old party" and the "gallant old party" to emphasize its role in preserving the Union during the Civil War, according to the History Channel.
Interestingly though, the Republican Party was certainly not "old" when the GOP acronym came into use. The party was only founded two decades prior in 1854.
According to History Channel writer Christopher Klein, the "grand old party" term was actually first adopted by Democrats. In his 1859 inaugural address, Kentucky’s Democratic Governor Beriah Magoffin said, "The grand old party has never changed its name, its purposes, or its principles, nor has it ever broken its pledges."
A year later, a Democratic newspaper in Connecticut wrote, looking ahead to the 1860 Presidential Election, that "this grand old party is divided and in danger of defeat," Klein wrote.
The GOP started in Wisconsin
Wisconsin has a special connection to the Republican Party, as it was founded in the state.
In early 1854, a group of men against the expansion of slavery into America's western territories met at the Little White Schoolhouse in Ripon where they named their recently formed new political party the "Republicans."
The schoolhouse, which was named the "birthplace of the Republican Party," was moved to a newer commercial district in Ripon this spring amid some controversy. The move was made in hopes that a new visitors center, more parking, and more visibility and accessibility on Wisconsin Highway 23 would attract more visitors.
What does the GOP believe?
Like any group or political party, the beliefs of individual members of the Republican Party are diverse and can vary greatly. However, there are some ideas Republicans generally share in common.
According to the History Channel, "Today’s GOP is generally socially conservative, and favors smaller government, less regulation, lower taxes and less federal intervention in the economy."
More: Milwaukee gears up for Republican primary debate some see as dry run for 2024 RNC
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: GOP meaning, history of the Republican Party in Wisconsin
