Believe it or not, the Republican Party began its journey to where it is today as a progressive party.
In 1854, the Republican Party emerged to combat the expansion of slavery into western territories after the passing of the Kansas–Nebraska Act. The early Republican Party consisted of northern Protestants, factory workers, professionals, businessmen, prosperous farmers, and after the Civil War also of black former slaves.
It has changed a lot over the years, tiny steps, usually occuring after passage of various civil rights acts. If you want to know more I suggest you read about Senator Strom Thurmond, The Dixiecrat Revolt, and Reconstruction
Washington was totally still alive for the creation of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties.
Historian Richard Hofstadter wrote that the Founders “did not believe in parties as such, scorned those that they were conscious of as historical models, had a keen terror of party spirit and its evil consequences”, but “almost as soon as their national government was in operation, [they] found it necessary to establish parties.”
Believe it or not, the Republican Party began its journey to where it is today as a progressive party.
It has changed a lot over the years, tiny steps, usually occuring after passage of various civil rights acts. If you want to know more I suggest you read about Senator Strom Thurmond, The Dixiecrat Revolt, and Reconstruction
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Republican_Party_(United_States)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixiecrat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strom_Thurmond
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstruction_era
Too bad the creation of the GOP manifested George Washington’s greatest fear for America… that it would devolve into a 2 party state.
Washington was totally still alive for the creation of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_parties_in_the_United_States