Where Barstool Conservatism Belongs in the Republican Party

A new center-right group portends electoral gains, governance challenges for the GOP

By Evan Cecchini, ‘25

The Republican Party has a problem: its voters are getting older. While there is research that supports the belief that Americans become more conservative as they age, the data is not conclusive and there is contradictory evidence.

Regardless, it is not a trend that should be relied on for future success. With more Millennials registering as Democrats than past generations and Generation Z looking to follow suit, how should the GOP shift the tides?

Barstool Conservatism is a term that has increased in frequency within right-wing political spheres. Coined by Matthew Walther of The Week, the label references the increasing popularity and influence of Barstool Sports and its CEO, Dave Portnoy.

Barstool and Portnoy are known for pioneering the niche of politically incorrect, Greek life-loving content in media. Those who subscribe to this brand of conservatism within the GOP typically care less about some of the more complex social issues that have dominated political debate for decades (abortion, gay marriage) and more about the culture war, combatting tampons in the men’s bathroom, and censorship on social media.

It is common knowledge that the Democratic Party continues to move farther and farther left, and it was only a matter of time until a substantial number of young, moderate-leaning Americans felt that Democrats had become too radical and decided to pick a side.

The rise of Barstool Conservatism could also be considered a side effect of the domination of Trumpism within the Republican Party. While older generations sympathized and latched onto the populist and nationalist components of the Trump Administration, younger generations saw a man who was not afraid to publicly humiliate his opponents on Twitter, act as a symbol of patriotism, and lead the fight against the perceived “woke mob.”

In an essay for the New York Times, National Review fellow Nate Hochman describes the potential of this new brand of conservatism: “The upshot is that this new politics has the capacity to dramatically expand the Republican tent. It appeals to a wide range of Americans, many of whom had been put off by the old conservatism’s explicitly religious sheen and don’t quite see themselves as Republicans yet.”

Hochman notes that the past reputation of the GOP was as a rather close-minded party. Employing purity tests that determine whether a fellow party member is a true conservative or a RINO has not benefited membership numbers.

However, as opposed to the purity tests that the Christian right would often employ, embracing Barstool Conservatism does the exact opposite. Expanding the GOP’s tent to cover a less serious, more moderate group may be the key to winning consistently at the state and federal levels for years to come.

How should this development of a new potential voting bloc be treated by the other factions within the Republican Party? Hochman writes that, despite the promises of green pastures which a new Republican majority may provide, a coalition formed between Barstool Conservatives and the religious right is bound by a rather uneasy partnership.

Although both may share the same goal of defeating the left on the frontiers of the culture war, neither have much in common otherwise, both expressing radically different visions for the future of the nation. While Christian conservatives may use a majority government to prioritize abortion bans and legislation that bans pornography, the average Barstool Conservative has little thought or opinion of either of those issues.

Therefore, assuming the growth of Barstool Conservatism continues, three predictions can be made. In the short-term, Republicans gain control of legislatures at both the state and federal levels, killing the radical social justice initiatives Democrats have pushed for decades. In the medium-term, moderate conservatives and the religious right face difficulty passing legislation and creating a cohesive party identity, coupled with frequent infighting. Last, in the long-term, the GOP becomes more moderate, continuing the decline of the religious right.

Hochman describes that this phenomenon is already occurring, stating, “Fewer than half of Republicans said ‘being Christian’ was an important part of being American in 2020, according to Pew — a 15 percentage point drop from 2016.” The focus placed on Barstool Conservatism would accelerate this trend, sacrificing religious values in the name of emphasizing a larger tent.

Now, with a picture of the potential future established, is embracing Barstool Conservatism worth it for the Republican Party? It is undeniable that the political climate of the United States continues to become more polarized, and an increasing number of young voters are looking to break that trend. In addition, independent, swing voters will always be the determinant of the most significant elections.

For the GOP, the decision depends on how willing its current members will be to compromise some of their values to defeat the left. To win more elections and quell the Democratic Party’s agenda, more votes are necessary, and more votes require a more moderate platform that Barstool Conservatives and others like-minded can support. Victory requires sacrifice, yet it remains uncertain how Republicans will act.