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Some conservatives remain fed up with the GOP

With some major defeats in this past election, is it time for the Republican Party to revert to their core principles, instead of aligning themselves with any p

With some major defeats in this past election, is it time for the Republican Party to revert to their core principles, instead of aligning themselves with any position that will win them power?

Author and Reagan conservative Craig Shirley talked about the identity crisis tearing apart the party Wednesday on the Daily Rundown. Republicanism, Shirley said, focuses more on winning elections, while conservatism is about winning freedoms for individuals.  According to Shirley, the GOP is divided into two groups—the insiders and the outsiders.

“The party establishment looks to insider solutions to solve the nation’s problems. But the outsiders think these insiders’ solutions are what caused the problems now afflicting America," Shirley wrote in a Politico article.

While he doesn’t see a divorce coming from within the GOP, Shirley said that things are “coming to a head," in an interview with NBC's Chuck Todd.

“The outsiders kind of represent the old Republican Party, which was to take power away from Washington and send it back to the states and individuals,” Shirley said. “The new Republican Party represents the more recent strain of Bushism and big government Republicanism.”

Shirley also stressed that the main problem with the Republican party is that “it’s not making the case of its principles, which is about less government and more freedom.” He says nothing is “coming from the Republican establishment.”