A war is brewing over the future of the Republican Party.
It’s getting messy.— Politico (@politico.com) August 2, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Last weekend, per Politico:
Young Republicans are split over the future of the party, with two warring factions seeking to position themselves as the true MAGA warriors ahead of a weekend vote for control of the party’s youth arm.
On Saturday, young party members will converge in Nashville, where they’ll decide between two slates to lead the Young Republican National Federation: Grow YR, led by current YRNF Chair Hayden Padgett, and the insurgent Restore YR campaign, led by New York State Young Republicans Chair Peter Giunta.
The brawl between the two slates is both personal — including interpersonal clashes and squabbles over hotel loyalty points and committee assignments — and ideological, with both sides looking to prove their loyalty to President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement. But the fight is also a microcosm of a schism ready to burst in the party at large, which is already delicately trying to chart a course for its post-Trump future…
Restore YR, which is seeking to unseat the current leadership in an effort to “restore trust, opportunity, and unity,” has won the endorsements of hardcore MAGA firebrands like Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), longtime Trump ally and convicted felon Roger Stone, Florida GOP Chair Evan Power, and Turning Point Action Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer, who was one of several “fake electors” in Arizona in 2020.
Stone, who served as Young Republican National Federation chair from 1977 to 1979, said he endorsed the Restore YR slate “simply because they are most closely aligned with President Trump and the America First Movement within the Republican Party.”
While YRNF has never been a backbone of the GOP’s fundraising efforts, its 14,000-some foot soldiers have long served a vital role in ground game efforts for Republican campaigns, and the organization has produced some of the party’s most dedicated advocates, with more than a dozen alumni currently serving in Congress.
“The YRs are the boots on the ground,” said California Young Republicans Chair Ariana Assenmacher, who is running for co-chair on the Restore YR slate. “We’re the youth movement of the party, and so for us to be able to go into ’26 with a clear game plan of what congressional and Senate seats we’re going to be focusing on, what statewide races we’re going to be focusing on, we need to make sure that we are giving the president and the administration as much support as possible.”
In June, Giunta — who leads the Restore YR challengers — shared a litany of complaints about Padgett and his board’s leadership with the White House, alleging the incumbent YRNF administration had shown insufficient support for the president and, at times, secretly worked to undermine him…
The document accused Padgett of attempting to “strong-arm” state federations out of endorsing Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential primary after a straw poll facilitated by YRNF leadership in August 2023 showed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the leading candidate among young Republicans, and a mock caucus held in November of that year revealed support for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. (One of Padgett’s vice chairs previously led the group Students for Nikki Haley.)
It also accused YRNF, under Padgett’s leadership, of platforming “Trump haters” and fabricating tweets by Giunta purporting to show his opposition to Trump. Giunta threatened legal action against Padgett for orchestrating what he described as a smear campaign, which Padgett denies…
… [T]he race could be a harbinger for further GOP infighting. While Trump is still a kingmaker in conservative politics, operatives and candidates are already positioning themselves to try to shape the party in 2028 and beyond — where another wide-open, messy primary could break out over who gets to inherit the MAGA mantle.
“I think Republicans need to make sure that we are in lockstep and that there’s no infighting when it comes to 2028,” said Assenmacher, the California chair. “Trump is not going to be the candidate there, so we’re going to need to unite behind somebody, and it’s going to take the youth behind them to support that.”
After a hard-fought race, my team earned a 2nd term leading @yrnational. The past year was invigorating, challenging, and humbling, somehow all at once. I am immeasurably proud of my team and supremely grateful to all YR members for trusting us to lead you again. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/4mamD0jDy7
— Hayden Padgett (@haydenpadgett) August 4, 2025
===
Thank you to my opponent @PeterGiunta and the Restore team for handling defeat with grace. You ran an impressive campaign and I look forward to working with you and all who supported Restore as we continue to grow the YRs. pic.twitter.com/AMPCxWnDWI
— Hayden Padgett (@haydenpadgett) August 4, 2025
If the comments on Padgett’s tweet are any indication, the losing team are handling defeat with the usual libertarian ‘grace’ — accusations of rigging, vote-buying, and similar familiar GOP shenanigans. As always, I’m rooting for injuries!
===
A war is brewing over the future of the Republican Party. It’s getting messy.
You want to know what the party will look like in the 'post-Trump' era? Learn about the 'know-nothing' party. Except the Trump party in the post-Trump era will be known as the DumbAss party.— grasspress.bsky.social (@grasspress.bsky.social) August 2, 2025 at 3:39 PM
August ’49, West Montana, Hottest Day on Record and the Forest Tinder Dry: The 76th Anniversary of the Mann Gulch Tragedy
Baud
They believe in guns. Just saying.
Spanky
The fight is getting messy? Lemme know when it gets bloody, so I can start making the popcorn.
Baud
Trollhattan
Aren’t they united by their 79 YO lord and savior? What’s left to argue about?
Aziz, light!
I wouldn’t call it a war when both groups are in full obeisance to Dear Leader and share the same execrable values.
mrmoshpotato
It’s getting messy, and we’re popping popcorn! Let them fight.
mrmoshpotato
@Spanky: LOL!
JaySinWa
The heir/hair to the golden throne.
Raoul Paste
It could well be just a war about money. Which group gets to partake in the grift. They know the game, and they want in.
Alce _e_ardillo
OMG, that groupshot like the cast from the upcoming Marvel movie, “The Unfuckables.”
Splitting Image
@Trollhattan:
Whether Trump’s final wish will be to have his people ruled by his closest companions or by his nearest blood relatives.
prostratedragon
@Alce _e_ardillo: Will Derek Guy be able to resist?
Kirk
@Trollhattan:
I could send you to research the history of religious schisms, but I prefer using humor. (Yes, it’s Emo again.)
Moondoggus
@Spanky:
An old Royal Navy toast, suitably modified:
” Confusion to the Republicans!”
cain
Not really much of a story. I mean it’s like a group of feral dogs fighting over a piece of meat. All the dogs belong to Donald Trump.
Not a single one of them are of the reformist type.
me
@Kirk: I expected The Life of Brian.
“Whatever happened to the Popular Front, Reg? He’s over there. Splitter!”
Tehanu
Ah, the Young Republicans. They were assholes when I was in college in the ’60s and I’m not the least bit surprised that they’re still the same today. Disgusted, nauseated, sure, but not surprised.
lowtechcyclist
@Baud:
Variation on a bad old joke: I not only believe in guns, I’ve seen them!
More seriously, lemme know when they start aiming them at each other.
RandomMonster
Why do I read this and keep imagining smug frat boy gobs in need of a good punching.
Baud
Working class hero
jackmac
Rooting, of course, for injuries.
Kirk
@me: almost. I just like the Emo joke better.
They Call Me Noni
@Trollhattan: Who can kiss his ass this he hardest.
stinger
How is it that women know to pose for group photos by turning sideways and men don’t?
Suzanne
@stinger: We practice details like that. I have also practiced ways to hold my arms in photos that don’t make me feel terrible.
On the topic at hand…..it makes me feel a small bit of comfort that the GOP also has an age gap problem.
kindness
I’m rootin’ they both gore each other.
Ksmiami
@Spanky: I hope they eat each other. Leave no survivors
mappy!
Stone quoted? Distraction.
Martin
From what I can see, the generational schism on the right is very similar to the one on the left. On social policy each youth movement is somewhat aligned with the party (or doesn’t care because in Maslows hierarchy of needs self-actualization is VERY far from paying rent), but they both deviate on economic policy. Vance is more closely aligned with that group and these are generally anti-big-business, libertarian minded. They aren’t looking for wage solution but a shift to a full-on asset economy, automate all the things, and you get ahead not through working hard but your ability to make money in crypto, do passive income scams, and the like. This is the technofeudalism group as they generally aren’t the young professionals but the ones who looked at college as a debt load with no real payoff and have essentially given up on typical jobs as a path to anything. They are anti-neoliberals from the right who think the government has been a hindrance and should generally go away so they can be entrepreneurial and sell vaccine reversal products.
On the left you have more of the young professionals who went to college or at least believe in work to emerge into an economy where they were shut out of the middle class and are more aligned with the New Deal/Great Society liberalism that focus more on wages and economic fairness and government providing direct rather than indirect benefits. They are anti-neoliberals from the left who think the government has been a hindrance because it provides direct benefits to corporations rather than citizens and needs to change its priorities. They generally think the technofeudalist solutions like crypto and AI are scams, but given that both parties are green lighting this bullshit, they better get good at it in order to survive.
They are fighting the older Democrats/Republicans who largely came into agreement during the Reagan/Clinton era that neoliberalism worked and are doing the narcissism of small differences (thanks to whoever yesterday reminded us of that term of art) in terms of whether the top marginal tax rate should be 28% or 32% and whether minimum wage should be nonexistent or functionally useless, and really only meaningfully differ on social policy.
(I suspect this comment will piss everyone off equally)
gene108
From the Politico piece:
I think this is accurate.
Republicans don’t have policy differences. It’s going to be who has the personality to convince voters they’ll deport millions more people, revoke citizenship for naturalized citizens, who can pass laws increasing pollution the most (I think Republicans love pollution. Pollution makes them happy. No other explanation for their hostility to environmental protection), kick the most women and minorities out of leadership positions in the military, etc.
Baud
@Martin:
That doesn’t piss me off. Sounds like a sensible description of various factions. My only point of disagreement is the idea that there’s a real schism on the right like there is on the left side of the aisle.
I also will hold off believing that any part of the right power structure is really anti big business untill I see something real, and not just rhetoric about corporate DEI.
gene108
@Baud:
I think the white working class hates the fuck out of labor unions, even the ones in unions.
They’d rather use force of some kind to create a society where white men are unquestionably on top, rather than have stronger unions.
The Audacity of Krope
@Martin: No, that sounds about right. Except the part that pre-supposes everyone will be pissed off.
Baud
@gene108:
Unions can’t openly be racist and sexist anymore.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@Baud:
And all Dem and (I) who caucus with Dems opposed her nomination joined by Moscow Mitch who must have been off his meds that day.
And Senator Warner is spot on in his assessment.
schrodingers_cat
@Baud: What did Biden get for being a friend of labor?
Baud
@comrade scotts agenda of rage:
I’m pleased no one on our side was foolish when it came to her nomination.
The Audacity of Krope
@Baud: I also will hold off believing that any part of the right power structure is really anti big business untill I see something real, and not just rhetoric about corporate DEI.
Segments of the right who questionably call themselves libertarians simply don’t want government assisting business. For the government should not exist save for a set of judges to mediate land disputes and business owners should be free, and this is my language for their goal not theirs, to rule us like feudal lords.
The Audacity of Krope
My respect. That and $3.50 will get you a coffee at Dunkie’s.
Baud
@schrodingers_cat:
Same thing he got for promoting green energy.
Regnad Kcin
At least we know where the meteor strike will do the most good.
Archon
@schrodingers_cat: He got a bunch of white lefties to call him, “the best President of my lifetime”.
The Audacity of Krope
@Archon: A bar you couldn’t slide a piece of paper under.
David Collier-Brown
@Baud:
I wonder if this sheds light on why he’s doing such a _very_ bad job protecting US automakers from the tariffs* he’s imposed. You don’t surmise he might be willing to throw out the auto industry along with their labour unions?
[* The Japanese and EU car makers have a smallish tariff on their whole cars. US automakers have too many Canadian and Mexican parts, and therefor end up paying substantially more in tariffs on, for example, steel and aluminium. See Motor Trend, motortrend.com/news/trump-tariffs-trade-war-automotive-industry-impact-developments ]
stinger
@Suzanne:
Yes, but why do we and they don’t?
Baud
@David Collier-Brown:
If so, at least the auto industry can stop worrying about CAFE standards.
Martin
@Baud: I think there is generationally. I don’t expect there to be any real outward change on the right because the new money plutocrats like Musk and Thiel will simply replace the old money ones and maybe the young republicans will get their economic fraud state to get ahead in, but otherwise it’ll look generally the same.
I am still concerned about folks like Josh Hawley doing honest to god liberal policy proposals because Democrats have ceded so much of that space. I don’t think that’ll get traction on the right, but it’s gotten a lot more than it should have.
Scout211
Speaking of Republicans, Arnold Schwarzenegger says he’s prepared to campaign against California redistricting efforts.
Tigers don’t change their stripes.
different-church-lady
You realize it doesn’t matter which side wins, right?
PsiFighter37
@Scout211: To his credit, he did endorse Kamala in 2024, and no matter what you think of his actual politics / intellect, his model of independent redistricting should be followed by all states (except for the jungle primaries).
Nonetheless, he still lives in la-la-land where all Americans are the good guys who defeated the Nazis in his homeland, and not realizing that he is on the wrong side of the battle of acquiescence to fascism a century later.
Martin
@The Audacity of Krope: I mean, the antitrust case against Google was started during the first Trump admin. Maybe the DEI thing is closer – that business is only tolerated to the degree it can advance their ideology, which is very fascist.
different-church-lady
@RandomMonster: That’s not your imagination.
Baud
@different-church-lady:
Agreed. No matter which right wing faction wins, Dems still suck.
catclub
@Trollhattan:
Does Trump rank above Jesus? Or should Jesus be given equal billing?
XeckyGilchrist
So the choices for the future of the party are “Worse” and “Even Worse Than That.” Got it
Scout211
@PsiFighter37: Agree with all of your points. Well said.
The Audacity of Krope
@Baud: I come here every day for y’all to remind me, wouldn’t want to forget.
Baud
@The Audacity of Krope:
We’re a full service blog.
catclub
@gene108:
Not enough hunters to be for protection of wild lands.
The Audacity of Krope
@Baud: But is there anything here that could lift my opinion of Democrats? I’m less sure of that.
Ksmiami
@Scout211: he can just fuck off
Ksmiami
@Martin: no. It hasn’t amounted to anything. Not really. The GOP is still the plutocrat party
Baud
@The Audacity of Krope:
We can’t save everybody.
Martin
@gene108: Well, if you’ve given up on wage labor as an economic benefit then there’s no point in unions. They just stand in the way of automation which is the desirable act because wages are a drag on assets. This is why I question the ‘friend of labor’ because that was more rhetorical than realized. Not that I blame Biden for that not being realized, but the appetite for labor on the left is pretty weak. I’ll again point to Newsom’s quasi-union as maybe a more viable solution – the state creates a council made up of industry and worker representatives along with the equivalent of our NRLB to do collective bargaining without the need to organize a union which becomes law rather than a contract. We’ve only done it with the fast food workers, but I think the idea has potential.
The Audacity of Krope
@Baud: “Full-service” my left butt cheek…
Melancholy Jaques
I don’t believe for a minute that there is some war within that party as a party. Different personalities will feud, but the christian white supremacy & patriarchy party is held together by their hatred of everyone else.
hells littlest angel
This kind of infighting is typical in fascist movements. Bad news: it tends to make them stronger.
Martin
@David Collier-Brown: You’re reading too much into it. Trump does tariffs because he doesn’t need permission, so it’s a perfect tool to bully countries and declare himself a winner no matter the outcome. There is no economic theory behind it at all, and any theory that people ascribe to it is projected by them. To Trump it’s just a stick he gets to hit people with and nobody can stop him doing it.
RSA
For men, taking up space is an expression of power, even in a group photo. For women, it doesn’t come across in the same way.
That’s my pop-psychology explanation, at least.
Martin
@Scout211: I think that’s ungenerous. Arnold supported Prop 11, and Democrats until 2 weeks ago have been pretty universally in support of it. Arnold has spoken out against Texas redistricting as ‘evil’.
The Audacity of Krope
@RSA: Here’s my theory. The men haven’t put much thought into it and are simply facing the camera.
Martin
@The Audacity of Krope: Well, for some men taking up space is an expression of power. I’ve experienced that first hand.
Tell me this isn’t a power move.
Another Scott
@cain: +1
They’re a cult, trying to gain favor of Dear Leader.
And Poliico, as usual, is sanewashing everything to do with MAGA and trying to make it seem perfectly normal.
Grr…
Best wishes,
Scott.
Another Scott
Redis dupe.
[ sigh ]
Best wishes,
Scott.
The Audacity of Krope
@Martin: I’d call it weak posturing. But what do I know?
geg6
@Alce _e_ardillo:
I was like “These are young Republicans????” They all look 45+ and like they haven’t seen a fashion magazine or a gym in the last 25 years. Hell, I’m 66 and I don’t think I look as old as they do.
Peke Daddy
@Spanky: Wait until after the midterms.
Martin
@The Audacity of Krope: Oh, I’m not saying it doesn’t come from insecurity, but in their mind it’s a power move, and that’s why it happens.
Ramona
@schrodingers_cat: In 2020, Biden won the union vote and in 2024 Harris widened Biden’s margin to 16 points: americanprogressaction.org/article/while-other-voters-moved-away-from-the-democrats-union-members-sh…