By a movement withing the GOP called Rockefeller Republicans. Ford was the first to actually make it to POTUS. Poppy didn't win on his name but rather the Reagan Legacy which he immediately destroyed. He was as liberal as Clinton and lost. The GOP Conservatives went elsewhere and if they hadn't went elsewhere they would have stayed home.
Something else happened between Poppy's being booted out and Bob Dole that few talk about. We all know the GOP won both houses in 1994. But very few talk about the fight that occurred in the party and took control of the party agenda from the Conservatives. There was a major power play against Newt. One of them involved was Bill Paxon. You may remember his wife who was one of Doles 1996 keynote speakers Susan Molanari who was also in congress during this. Simply put the Conservatives lost control of the GOP and the Rockefeller's again took over.
The Rockefeller GOP controls the RNC which controls the money. The GOP congress has not been Conservative led since early 1996. What made matters worse was since 2000 there has been an ongoing effort from the White House to purge the party of Conservatives and replacing them with moderates. This led to the Nov. 7 revolt. It cost the GOP it's Conservative base but it also cost the GOP Conservative DEM crossovers and as a result some DEM blue dogs won.
Thanks!