The problem with the GOP, is that they were originally the party of upper crusty Mainline Protestants. So when working class patriot Democrats defected, and joined the GOP, after the hippies gravitated to the Democrats in the late 60’s/early 70’s, they were never truly welcomed by the GOP party Establishment.
This is why the GOP Establishment barely gets upset over Liberal media bias. When the media talks about “Right wing wackos”, the Establishment thinks “they’re not talking about us, they’re talking about all those crazy yahoos in with their guns and pick up trucks”. So they’re perfectly fine the media bashing the activist base, who they view as riffraff.
“When the media talks about “Right wing wackos”, the Establishment thinks “they’re not talking about us, they’re talking about all those crazy yahoos in with their guns and pick up trucks”. So they’re perfectly fine the media bashing the activist base, who they view as riffraff.”
You are certainly correct that there is an elite in power and many if not most probably feel the way you described towards the working men and women who have escaped from the Democratic party. Actually, those escapes have been run out of the Democratic party by identity politics. A white Democrat is not appreciated and is as likely to be called racist or proto-something or neo-cryptic-something as any Republican. So, they left.
Looking at how things change over time, though, I hold out hope that as the new, working class and former working class (now much wealthier) Republicans gain power that the grip of the Elites will slowly weaken through time and death.
If you look at the ages of people in government, although the Republicans are on average younger, there are still a lot of career Republicans who are in their seventies and eighties. Dr Richard Feynman said, “Science advances one funeral at a time.” I think that is true of most things, the Republicans included. I can’t wait for guys like John McCain to leave this veil of tears.