Ideological change within the GOP : A theory testing of Downs on the acceptance speeches between 2000-2020

Abstract: The purpose of this essay is to investigate the ideological change of the republican party through their migration, abortion and tax policies based on their presidential candidate’s acceptance speeches between 2000 and 2020. The study then aims to explain the ideological change through the vote maximizing theory of Downs (1957). This will be executed through a descriptive idea analytical method as well as a theory testing case study. The study concludes there have been an ideological change and that the theory offers some explanation regarding the rapid change and the directions of the change, however, not regarding the abortion policy change in 2020.