Some Republicans have been defensive that the party has a strong anti-democratic bent. But the state GOP convention embraced it, putting it right in the party platform.
A resolution called for ending the ability to vote for U.S. senators. Instead, senators would get appointed by state legislatures, as it generally worked 110 years ago prior to the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913.
“We are devolving into a democracy, because congressmen and senators are elected by the same pool,” was how one GOP delegate put it to the convention. “We do not want to be a democracy.”
“Every time the word ‘democracy’ is used favorably it serves to promote the principles of the Democratic Party, the principles of which we ardently oppose.”
That is some Olympic Games level mental gymnastics right there.
I'm pretty sure thats exactly the intent behind all these chuds blathering on about "um, akshually we have a Republic and not a democracy" are actually trying ti accomplish. Imagine some Brit arguing that they have a King and not a monarch 200 years ago.
That's absolutely not true. The Middle East is loaded with countries that dont even pretend to be republics like Kuwait, Qatat, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
So much of modern conservatism/Republicanism in the US is pure reactionary, "own the libs" thinking. If Democrats wanted to pass a resolution stating "puppies and kittens are cute," they would be opposed merely on principle.