Young Guns - now old and rebuked by the GOP

[Axtremus]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/10/03/mccarthy-ryan-republican-leadership/

Back in 2010, Kevin McCarthy, Paul Ryan, and Eric Cantor co-authored the book titled "Young Guns; a New Generation of Conservative Leaders."

Cantor lost in a reelection bid in a Republican primary.
Paul Ryan was a VP nominee, then Speaker, then resigned.
Kevin McCarthy made Speaker, now vacated from Speakership. May or may not be re-elected Speaker.

All three were/are arguably more rational than Trump, less extreme than the Freedom Caucus. But no, Trump and the likes of the Freedom Caucus are the ones that captured the support of the GOP base. The Young Guns' ideal got nowhere.

[Jolly]

Cantor was a RINO, as was Ryan.

McCarthy, I had higher hopes for.

[Mik]

I really dislike the RINO label. It speaks of a party hidebound to pretty extreme principles, with no room for variation. The definition of a 'true Republican' has changed a lot over the years, and not for the better.