▁the ▁election ▁of ▁Abraham ▁Lincoln , ▁who ▁used ▁the ▁party ▁mach in ery ▁to ▁support ▁victory ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁The ▁G OP ▁domin ated ▁national ▁politics ▁during ▁the ▁Third ▁Party ▁System , ▁from ▁ 1 8 5 4 ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁and ▁the ▁Four th ▁Party ▁System ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁ ▁Since ▁its ▁found ing , ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁more ▁market - orient ed ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁American ▁political ▁parties , ▁often ▁favor ing ▁policies ▁that ▁aid ▁American ▁business ▁interests . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁party ▁whose ▁power ▁was ▁once ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁voting ▁power ▁of ▁Union ▁Army ▁veter ans , ▁this ▁party ▁has ▁tradition ally ▁supported ▁more ▁ag gress ive ▁defense ▁measures ▁and ▁more ▁lav ish ▁veter ans ' ▁benefits . ▁Today , ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ▁supports ▁an ▁American ▁conserv ative ▁platform , ▁with ▁further ▁found ations ▁in ▁economic ▁liberal ism , ▁fis cal ▁conserv at ism , ▁and ▁social ▁conserv at ism . ▁ ▁The ▁Republican ▁Party ▁tends ▁to ▁be ▁strong est ▁in ▁the ▁Southern ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁the ▁" fly over ▁states ", ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁sub urban ▁and ▁rural ▁areas ▁in ▁other ▁states . ▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁mid term ▁elections , ▁the ▁Republic ans ▁held ▁a ▁majority ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁until ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁mid ter ms ▁where ▁they ▁lost ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party . ▁Additionally ,