Jeffrey Stonecash, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Political Science, has written a new book, “The Transformation of the Republican Party” (Lynne Reinner, 2024).

The book offers a historical analysis exploring the evolution of the Republican Party. A crucial matter, he contends, was how the party responded to being in the minority in the 1960s and 1970s. Leaders sought constituencies in states where they had previously done poorly, drawing those resistant to civil rights as well as Christian conservatives, gun owners and those uneasy about social change. In doing so, the party attracted a new geographical base, the South and West, and lost their base in the northeastern United States, he says. This new Republican Party focused on social conservatives and became dominated by the white working class.  

Stonecash specializes in political parties, electoral bases and the changing nature of policy debates. He has authored several other books including, “Polarization and the Politics of Personal Responsibility” (Oxford University Press, 2015), “Party Pursuits and The Presidential-House Election Connection, 1900-2008” (Cambridge University Press, 2013) and “Understanding American Political Parties: Democratic Ideals, Political Uncertainty, and Strategic Positioning” (Routledge Press, 2013).

Stonecash earned emeritus status in 2013 following 36 years as a member of the Maxwell School faculty.

From the publisher:

It is undisputed that the Republican Party has changed dramatically since the 1940s and '50s. But the exact nature of that change—and how it came to be—remain subject to debate. Jeffrey Stonecash meticulously assesses the cumulative effect of a range of contentious issues in US politics to shed light on the decisions that party leaders have made to attract voters, the essence of today's party, and what this all means in terms of the current political climate.