The term “Republican” is used in many different ways around the world, usually to denote someone who belongs to a Republican Party. Many people are most familiar with this term in the sense of a member of the Republican National Party, one of the two major political parties in the United States. Republican Party values and platforms vary widely from nation to nation, and in the United States, the party is primarily center-right to conservative.

The Republican Party in the United States was established in 1854 by a group of anti-slavery activists, rising to power only six years later with the election of President Abraham Lincoln. The party quickly emerged as a powerhouse, becoming the major opposition to the Democratic party, the center-left political party in the United States. In fact, the Republicans and Democrats so thoroughly dominate the American political system that the United States can sometimes feel like a two party nation, instead of the multiparty democracy that it is.

Around one third of the American electorate identifies as Republican at any given time. Republicans tend to be white, although the party has made some inroads into Asian and Latino communities, and people who identify as Republican usually have conservative economic and social values. Many members of the party are also Christian, with numerous sects including evangelical Christians being represented in large numbers among the Republicans. The Republican Party is often viewed as the pro-business political party, and as an upholder of values which many Americans think of as traditional, such as family life.

Like members of other political parties in the United States, Republicans adopt new party platforms periodically. Each platform is designed to reflect the core values of the party while also adapting to changes in American society, and addressing emerging issues so that members of the public know how Republicans feel about hot topics in American culture. The Republicans also routinely nominate a candidate for the Presidency at their National Conventions in Presidential election years.

Many Republicans try to adhere to values from the early days of America. The name of the party is itself an homage to Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the United States, and the party is sometimes referred to as the Grand Old Party (GOP), reflecting its value system. Many Republicans support strict interpretations of the Constitution, and they agitate for smaller government, less regulation in industry, and an upholding of Christian values in the United States.

Some examples of notable Republicans include 19 former Presidents of the United States, such as Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, and Dwight D. Eisenhower.