History On the year 1834 former members of the Whig Party came together to build a new political party. It was formed to oppose the spread of slavery and the tyranny of President Andrew Jackson. After the Kansas-Nebraska Bill of 1854 that invalidated the Missouri Compromise the Whigs party was disintegrated but during the spring of 1854 these members popped back up in the upper Midwestern states, and in March 20, 1854 the founding meeting of the Republican Party happened! The founder was Amos Tuck. Their first presidential candidate was John C. Fremont who wasn't successful. Following this, in 1860, Republican Abraham Lincoln was elected president. Because of the Civil War the Republican Part had lost support of the South but maintained control over the presidency until the election of 1993 when Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected.
Symbol The republican symbol of an elephant was created by political cartoonist Thomas Nast. It made an appearance in Harper's Weekly. In 1874, Nast drew a cartoon with a big elephant scaring away other animals including a donkey. The creature was labled "The Republican vote." It stuck and now the Republican party considers the elephant a strong and dignified animal.
Philosophy Republicans believe in a limited government and the promotion of individual rights and justice. They are conservative and right-leaning. This means that they are traditional, and want to preserve the conditions the country is in. They rather have a smaller government and tax less. They opposed to gay marriage, abortion, and support the third amendment and death penalty. They believe in individuals sustaining of themselves with small government intervention. Their philosophy employs a smaller central government that gives states and citizens ability to lawfully deviate more from the federal/central government.
Candidate Sen. Marco Rubio This republican candidate was born in Miami, FL, May 28, 1971. He is married to Jeanette Rubio and has four children. Of Cuban decent he has managed to enroll at the university obtain a bachelors degree in law from the University of Miami. His political career began when he was elected to the West Miami City Commission in 1998. Then he ran and was successfully elected for the Florida House of Representatives. In 2009, he ran for the senate against against Charlie Crist and Kendrick Meek. He took office in 2011 and has since become a member of several legislative committees, including the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and the Committee on Foreign Relations. More recently, in April 2015, he made his desire to run as president known.