Top 10 Most Liberal Republican Presidents

The GOP has for many years been the party of right-wing conservatives.

However, over the years, there have been a few Republicans who, if they ran today, would probably be shunned. Here are those Presidents.

The Top Ten

  1. Theodore Roosevelt

    Theodore Roosevelt, born October 27, 1858, and deceased January 6, 1919, was an American statesman, author, naturalist, soldier, and reformer. He served as the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. As a leader of the Progressive Movement, he championed trust-busting, conservation, and... read more

    Teddy was the first major trust buster in presidential history. He also helped pass some of the nation's first consumer protection laws, which conservatives at the time claimed was government intrusion. When he later ran as a Progressive (Bull Moose), his platform included strict limitations on campaign contributions and the registration of lobbyists. His platform also advocated for national health insurance, social insurance (Social Security), and expanding the minimum wage. He supported establishing an eight-hour workday, an inheritance tax, stronger unions, and more.

  2. Abraham Lincoln

    Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 to April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War and succeeded in preserving the Union, abolishing slavery,... read more

    Lincoln used Federal power to intervene in the matters of the states, which is usually controversial with conservatives. He also opposed the Mexican-American War, passed the Homestead Act, and passed the Morrill Act.

  3. Gerald Ford

    Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. was an American politician who served as the 38th President of the United States from August 9, 1974, to January 20, 1977. He assumed the presidency following Richard Nixon's resignation and is the only person to have served as both vice president and president without being elected... read more

    Ford is mainly known today for just being a placeholder President until Carter arrives. It's kind of sad, because Ford was pretty interesting and important. He helped establish special education throughout the US, he let the Vietnam War end, and he admitted thousands of immigrants fleeing South Vietnam. He expanded anti-trust laws, imposed more restrictions on campaign finance, and supported the Equal Rights Amendment. He also pardoned draft dodgers.

    Additionally, later in life, Ford opposed the Iraq War and admitted that he was pro-choice. He wouldn't make it in today's GOP.

  4. Dwight Eisenhower

    Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was an American politician and military leader who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army during World War II and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe.... read more

    Ike expanded Social Security and raised the minimum wage. He oversaw very high marginal tax rates, desegregated public schools, opposed Israel's attack on Egypt, suspended the Korean War, signed two civil rights bills, and, most importantly, warned against the military-industrial complex. I guess most Republicans didn't get his memo.

  5. George H. W. Bush

    George Herbert Walker Bush (June 12, 1924 - November 30, 2018) was an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States from 1989 to 1993. Before becoming president, he served as the 43rd Vice President under Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1989. He also held several other major roles... read more

    Bush was much more moderate than his son. He, unlike his son, got UN authorization to go to war with Iraq, and only attacked after using every diplomatic option first. He also signed two civil rights bills, was a major supporter of the UN, passed a few pieces of environmental legislation, raised the minimum wage, raised taxes (gasp!), and addressed that climate change was a major threat to human civilization.

  6. Richard Nixon

    Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1974. He is the only U.S. president to have resigned from office. Nixon had previously served as the 36th Vice President from 1953 to 1961, and prior to that, as a U.S. Representative and Senator... read more

    Nixon is mainly known for Watergate, and for good reason. But people seem to forget that he had many accomplishments while President. He helped desegregate public schools, pass consumer protection laws, and pass several pieces of environmental legislation. He created the EPA and OSHA, lowered the voting age, ended the draft, and raised the minimum wage. He also expanded Social Security.

    Furthermore, he proposed a healthcare reform plan known as Nixoncare, which is basically the ACA on steroids. On top of it all, he proposed a guaranteed income but was talked out of it by one of his more conservative advisors.

    Nixon also removed troops from Vietnam after his bombing campaign, established relations with China for the first time in 25 years, removed America from the gold standard, passed more environmental protection laws than any other president, and signed the SALT I treaty with Brezhnev, which helped regulate ballistic missiles.

  7. William Howard Taft

    William Howard Taft served as the 27th President of the United States and as the tenth Chief Justice of the United States, the only person to have held both offices. He served as President from 1909 to 1913 and was later appointed Chief Justice in 1921, serving until 1930. Taft is remembered for his... read more

    Like Roosevelt, Taft was a strong trust-buster. He wasn't afraid to use federal power if it meant protecting the average American.

  8. Ulysses S. Grant

    Ulysses S. Grant was an American soldier and statesman who served as Commanding General of the Army and as the 18th President of the United States. He led the Union Army to victory during the American Civil War. Grant served two presidential terms from 1869 to 1877 and played a major role in Reconstruction... read more

    Grant, like Lincoln, used his powers to intervene in the affairs of the states during Reconstruction. He also was a supporter of women's suffrage, fought the KKK, passed a civil rights bill, and supported the right to an education.

  9. Herbert Hoover

    Herbert Clark Hoover was an American engineer, businessman, and politician who served as the 31st President of the United States from 1929 to 1933. His presidency coincided with the onset of the Great Depression, during which he implemented economic measures that were widely criticized for being ineffective... read more

  10. Chester A. Arthur

    Chester Alan Arthur was an American attorney and politician. He served as the 21st president of the United States, assuming office after the death of James A. Garfield in 1881. During his presidency, Arthur supported civil service reform and signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act into law.

    Arthur passed the Pendleton Act, supported civil rights, and lowered tariffs.

    11. The Newcomers
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    Warren G. Harding

    Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 - August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States. He served from March 4, 1921, until his death in office on August 2, 1923. Harding's presidency is often remembered for its economic policies and several scandals involving members of his administration... read more

  12. ?

    Ronald Reagan

    Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Prior to his presidency, he served as the 33rd Governor of California from 1967 to 1975 and maintained a career as a Hollywood actor and... read more

    13. The Contenders

  13. Benjamin Harrison

    Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States, serving from 1889 to 1893. He was the grandson of William Henry Harrison, the ninth President of the United States. During his presidency, he supported the McKinley Tariff and the Sherman Antitrust Act and oversaw the admission of six new... read more

    Harrison passed anti-trust laws, opposed the spoils system, and expanded national parks.

  14. Donald Trump

    Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York) is an American businessman, television personality, politician, and the 45th and 47th President of the United States.

    Born and raised in Queens, New York City, Donald J. Trump received an economics degree from the Wharton School of the... read more

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