Which candidate will the Republican Party of the future look most like?

[Mike Thick]

Which candidate will the Republican party most look like in 10 or 20 years? All candidates included, including those that dropped out, in a fairly random order. Discuss!

[Virginiá]

Trump - But not in terms of his offensive / foolish behavior, but rather the policy positions he laid out (infrastructure investment, taxing some people higher, like hedge fund guys, significant opposition to immigration, less heavy on social issues, etc). He has exposed the huge divide between the Republican establishment and the actual Republican voters, which has always existed but the establishment has largely been able to ignore them while focusing on their donors wishes, and throwing their voters a bone once in awhile in the form of social issues, like abortion bans and gay marriage discrimination laws.

Other platforms/voter groups, like those of Cruz, are simply unsustainable. His aggressive religious-based agenda is basically a nonstarter in a country that is rapidly (relatively speaking, anyway) secularizing.

I also wouldn't doubt that some more Libertarian ideas could find their way into the Republican party mainstream, but I doubt it will ever become a huge part.

[SingingAnalyst]

I would say Marco Rubio--young, polished, attractive, moderate on certain issues. But the GOP's base of support will continue to increasingly be rural and exurban, car-dependent, moderate-income, less-educated whites, at least in the short- to medium-term. In other words, the GOP rank and file will look like Huckabee supporters.

[RaphaelDLG]

Whichever candidate can appeal to rich and religious people while not alienating minorities and millenials.  For the record, I picked Rand Paul, idk if that's right.

[Asian Nazi]

TRUMP

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Jim Gilmore: Old, out of date, past one's prime, irrelevant.

[LLR]

Jim Gilmore: Old, out of date, past one's prime, irrelevant.

Implying Jim Gilmore had a prime

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Since Ryan, Trump & Romney are mainstrain, they will look mostly like Trump, Speaker Ryan will be 2020 nominee

[hopper]

Jim Gilmore: Old, out of date, past one's prime, irrelevant.

Implying Jim Gilmore had a prime

Yeah his Presidential Bid failed hard.

[hopper]

I would say Marco Rubio--young, polished, attractive, moderate on certain issues.

In other words, the GOP rank and file will look like Huckabee supporters.

Yeah I agree with you on Rubio. Huckabee-Another guy whose Presidential Bid just flopped so I disagree with you there.