Following Up on the Year of the Republican Woman: The Lawyer
2020 was definitely the Year of the Republican Woman thanks to the GOP adding a record number of women to Congress. From Nancy Mace to Young Kim, Republican women made major headlines with their election victories in 2020. Even though Kamala Harris is a Democrat, her inauguration as the first female VP was a big deal for even the hardest-line GOP women in my life.
Suburban, educated women voters are a key demographic the GOP must regain to build a sustainable coalition for the future, and their support has been middling and even dwindling during President Trump’s time in the White House. So, I took some time to speak to some successful, smart GOP women from across the country from very different lifestyles, locations, and ideological underpinnings to see where they stand politically, how their affiliation is faring, and how to keep them in the tent. I’ve protected their identities because cancel culture is garbage but I’ll give a brief description of who they are so you can get a little insight into their background.
The Lawyer
To open this series, I spoke with a friend of mine who is a 28-year-old lawyer in Las Vegas, Nevada. She got her law degree from a top 20 East Coast university, and now works at a prestigious law firm. She’s in a long-term relationship but has yet to marry and doesn’t have kids yet. (I’m sure her mom is happy that I included this.) She comes from a traditional, multi-ethnic family but her family has lived in Nevada for generations. She is one of the hardest working people I know and was active in conservative politics in Nevada… but finds herself in the middle of a political identity crisis.
Can you tell me how you became a Republican?
I discovered I was a Republican in my senior year of high school when my government teacher gave the class a “political spectrum” assessment. The test revealed that I was situated right of center, and I dedicated the next four years in college to explore what that meant. My undergrad was in political science, through which I focused on American political history, ethics, global political theory, and democracy. Despite many of my professors’ best efforts, I emerged from college a staunch Republican.
Did you become a stronger Republican, weaker Republican, or leave the Party during the Trump years?
This question is difficult to answer. Being a “Republican” connotes two things: (1) dedication to a system of values prioritizing small government and separation of powers, and (2) membership to an organization with changing leadership and evolving policy platforms. While I am as dedicated as ever to the ideas of small government, individual liberty, and deregulation (or localized regulation) of most industries, I find myself becoming a weaker “Republican” as the party continues to morph away from its founding principles. Nevertheless, I am still a registered Republican and still hopeful that the party can be reunited with its former values.
“Nevertheless, I am still a registered Republican and still hopeful that the party can be reunited with its former values.”
Was it because of President Trump specifically or something else?
I think President Trump severely damaged the Republican Party. He turned off people like me, who tend to exalt form over substance. President Trump’s poor form over the past 4 years has, in my opinion, opened the door to the chaos we find ourselves in, and that has been counterproductive to the long-term success of the Republican Party. But while Trump is to blame for my initial philosophical divergence from the Party, I didn’t anticipate the wave of cult-like supporters he has spawned, who are in all likelihood the real reason that I find myself becoming a “weaker” Republican. My conservative sensibilities can handle four years of one guy driving things off the rails—they cannot withstand the realization that my Party and the people belonging to it are abandoning my values.
What is it like being a Republican in your friend circles? Do they know?
If I was ashamed of my political affiliation, I wouldn’t belong to that affiliation. My friends and family know where I stand. This position has not come without its fair share of controversy. I was fortunate to make a solid group of conservative friends in college, some of whom have become life-long friends and colleagues. Making conservative friends in law school on the East coast was more difficult, and I didn’t do myself any favors by becoming active in my school’s chapter of the Federalist Society. I became public enemy no. 1 but still managed to host some of the most well-attended events on campus. That success bolstered my belief that it is so important to start political dialogues with our peers across the aisle. For that reason, I don’t avoid tough political conversations with my left-leaning friends. If you can’t win the hearts and minds of the people closest to you, how can you expect to win the hearts and minds of others? Also, I find that the best instructors of an opposing viewpoint are people you know and trust.
What should the Republican Party focus on to get more women like yourself into the Party?
The Party needs to take control of its messaging. Rather than reacting to the Democrats’ narratives, it needs to get out in front and convince the American people—both ideologically and by the numbers—that the Republican platform is good for the country. To do this, the Party and the people in it must immediately drop this tit-for-tat mudslinging campaign, which frankly very few everyday Americans appreciate. Following four years of President Trump, if the Republican Party wants more women “like me” to join, it needs to focus on conducting itself (on the local and national levels) in a respectable manner, leading by example, and creating a clearer vision to draw people in.
“Following four years of President Trump, if the Republican Party wants more women “like me” to join, it needs to focus on conducting itself (on the local and national levels) in a respectable manner, leading by example, and creating a clearer vision to draw people in. ”
What was something President Trump did that was good for America?
He filled the federal judiciary with conservative judges. In his four years, he appointed three Supreme Court justices and 226 judges to the federal bench overall. This is an achievement that will shape the federal judiciary for decades to come. To the extent that President Trump’s nominees rely on textualist/originalist principles of constitutional interpretation (as conservative jurists are wont to do), these judges and justices will be a formidable obstacle to progressive policies that challenge constitutional precedent.
What should local Republicans do to help you stay in the tent?
On a local level, we need fresh blood to get involved and run for elections. Because of the relatively small size of Las Vegas (until recently), politics here has always felt like a social club with the same key players showing up in elections and at phone banks year after year. While I certainly appreciate the stalwart people who have dedicated themselves to public service or to helping the party during campaign season, the goal must always be to bring new voters in. Outreach is a huge deal and it has been lacking. As a voter, I want new ideas, new solutions, and new personalities that can adapt to our changing circumstances while still promoting the Party’s core values.
Did you vote Republican in 2016? All the way down or split ticket? What about 2020?
I voted for Gary Johnson in 2016. It was a calculated throwaway vote. I refused to accept that Donald Trump was becoming the face of the Republican Party. Ironically, despite my pre-existing disdain for him—which only worsened with four years of Tweets upon which to reflect—I did vote for Trump in 2020. Unfortunately, the reality is that we are only as good as our options. Between a loud-mouthed Trump, whose biggest offense, in my opinion, is the fact that he is so offensive, and a do-nothing Biden, who is doing everything he can to pave the way for Kamala Harris to swoop in and push her progressive agenda, I cast my vote against the Democratic Party and any attempts on its part to claim a sweeping mandate.
