By now, everyone knows that Republicans underperformed in the midterm elections, given President Biden’s low popularity and the fact that voters preferred the GOP’s approach to key issues such as inflation and the economy. Everyone also knows that this underperformance was due to a mix of subpar candidates and a number of anti-Trump votes that nearly matched the number of anti-Biden votes.
As Republican leaders assess these results behind closed doors and in advisory councils, they should wrestle with a fundamental issue that is getting less attention: their neglect in recent years of the optimism inherent to conservatism. When conservatives articulate a vision for the future that connects with the aspirations of ordinary people, they do well; when they try to beat progressives at grievance politics, they lose.
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