The Conservative Resistance: Rebuilding the GOP’s Intellectual Foundations

Ten years ago if you saw a photo of Liz Cheney, a pillar of traditional Republican values, standing alongside Democrat Colin Allred, you might think you're having a political fever dream. Well fast forward and this is the new reality. The image reflects the profound shift that has taken place within the Republican Party—where Trump’s populist wave has overshadowed the once-dominant conservative ideals of limited government and constitutional fidelity. Yet, beneath the surface, a more principled conservative movement is quietly positioning itself to reclaim its place. Regardless of the outcome of the 2024 election, the effort to restore the GOP’s intellectual and political foundations is already underway.

Donald Trump's rise to power signaled more than just a political shift; it represented the culmination of an ideological rupture. Trumpism hijacked the Republican Party, substituting grievance-based populism for the conservatism traditionally defined by limited government, fiscal restraint, and respect for institutions. MAGA nationalism replaced careful, principled thought with bombastic slogans and cult-of-personality politics. But lurking beneath the noise and spectacle, traditional conservatism endures. A quieter movement—one that is more patient, strategic, and grounded in enduring ideas—has been cultivating the intellectual and political infrastructure necessary to rebuild the GOP once the Trump era recedes.

Liz Cheney’s journey epitomizes this ideological schism. Once a rising star in the Republican Party, she was a torchbearer for conservatism's institutional commitments, whether in national defense, constitutional fidelity, or limited government. But her willingness to challenge Trump after the January 6th Capitol riot led to her political excommunication. Cheney’s vote to impeach Trump and her subsequent defeat in Wyoming’s primary by a Trump-endorsed candidate underscores the ruthless purging of traditional conservatives from GOP leadership. Her recent endorsement of Allred over Texas’s Ted Cruz has drawn harsh criticism from figures like conservative radio host Mark Davis, who claim she has abandoned conservatism by aligning with a Democrat. Yet Cheney’s stance is not an abandonment of conservative principles; it is an effort to save them from a party that has traded substance for spectacle.

As the article makes clear, regardless of the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, a traditional conservative movement is waiting to reemerge. This movement has not disappeared; it has simply gone underground, gathering strength while the Trump phenomenon runs its course. The intellectuals, activists, and policymakers who once formed the conservative establishment are quietly building the scaffolding of a post-MAGA GOP—one that returns to principles of governance rather than personality-driven politics. While the MAGA movement thrives on emotional intensity, this movement focuses on durable ideas.

Should Trump win in 2024, his second term will exacerbate the party’s internal fractures, forcing traditional conservatives to grapple with an administration that governs by impulse rather than ideology. Should he lose, the aftermath will be equally crucial, as the GOP faces a long-overdue reckoning with its future direction. But make no mistake, as the article points out, this emerging movement is not a rehash of the corporate-heavy GOP of yesteryear. It is more attuned to the realities of modern America while remaining anchored to conservative fundamentals: prudence, respect for institutions, and free-market principles tempered by societal obligations.

Cheney’s endorsement of Allred, while unorthodox, is an extension of this deeper conservative struggle. Her criticism of Ted Cruz, who she sees as having abandoned constitutional principles during the 2020 election certification, highlights the stark choices facing conservatives today. Cruz, a darling of the Republican base, exemplifies the populist drift—willing to bend constitutional fidelity for political expediency. Cheney, on the other hand, insists that conservatism must be rooted in respect for the Constitution and institutions, even at the cost of short-term political gains. Her actions, while controversial, are part of a larger effort to reclaim the GOP’s soul from the grip of Trumpist populism.

Figures like Cheney and former Dallas County Republican Party Chair Jennifer Stoddard-Hajdu are not content to merely survive within this populist-dominated environment—they are preparing for what comes next. Stoddard-Hajdu’s political action committee, Dallas County Republicans United, aims to elect pragmatic conservatives who can begin the slow process of rebuilding the GOP from the ground up. These efforts, along with the rise of new conservative media outlets and policy forums that offer a serious alternative to the Trumpian echo chambers, mark the early stages of the party’s intellectual revival.

As the article notes, Trumpism, for all its current dominance, is ephemeral—built more on emotional grievance than on coherent policy. The MAGA movement thrives on bombast and spectacle, but it cannot offer a long-term governing philosophy. The traditional conservative movement, by contrast, is rooted in ideas that have withstood the test of time. Figures like Cheney, Mike Pence, and Nikki Haley are laying the groundwork for a future GOP that prioritizes the rule of law, limited government, and respect for the Constitution. These leaders understand that the center-right in America belongs not to any one man, but to the enduring principles that have guided it for generations.

In the coming years, this tension between populism and traditional conservatism will shape the future of the Republican Party. The populist wave, while electorally potent, is ultimately self-limiting, dependent on the personality of one man rather than on a coherent set of ideas. The intellectual work of rebuilding conservatism, by contrast, is patient and deliberate, rooted in the recognition that the battle for the party’s soul will not be won in a single election cycle but through the slow, painstaking work of shaping ideas and culture.

As the dust settles on this tumultuous era, it will be the traditional conservatives—those who value governance over destruction—who will rebuild the GOP, brick by brick. They will offer a serious, thoughtful alternative to the emotionalism that has defined the Trump years. In time, the conservative movement will once again stand on the bedrock of principles rather than personalities, and when that day comes, the Republican Party will be stronger for it. The future of conservatism, in other words, will not be shaped by the noise of the moment but by the enduring ideas that have always defined it.

The photograph of Liz Cheney with Colin Allred is more than just a political oddity—it is a symbol of rebirth. It represents the possibility of a conservative movement that prioritizes principles over populism, ideas over demagogues. The traditional conservative movement is not dead; it is quietly preparing for its return, and when it does, it will restore the GOP to its rightful place in American political life.