If you’re a member of the Republican Party or you follow their politics, you likely have a few politicians on that side of the aisle that you hold in high regard more than others. Many Republicans are newer to the party, while many others were crucial to the policies that the party favors today. You’ll find folks from both of those groups in this list of the most popular Republicans in the US.
To determine the most popular Republicans in the US, 24/7 Tempo consulted a list created by the website YouGov. They surveyed people in the country and asked how many of them had a positive opinion of the politicians on this list. That’s what we’re going by, the popularity of each individual.
This list is an update from the Most Popular Republicans list we put out last month. Since that time, many of the politicians have either gone up and down on this list. Some of them have fallen off of the list from last time for different reasons. Former Vice President Dan Quayle likely fell off of this list because he’s been out of the public eye for many years. Alternatively, Kevin McCarthy also fell off the list, likely due to recent real-life events that forced him out of the position of Speaker of the House.
Meanwhile, there are some new names on the list, including Barry Goldwater, who was a United States senator for many years and also ran for President in 1964. Another new face is Michael Steele, who is the first African American to be the chair of the Republican National Committee and Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. To learn more about these politicians and others who have run the country, see this list of the most surprising facts about every American President.
25. Dick Cheney

- Popularity: 32%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #20
- Known For: Former Vice President of the United States
24. Michael Steele

- Popularity: 32%
- Updated Ranking: New on the List
- Known For: Former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and Chair of Republican National Committee
23. Adam Kinzinger

- Popularity: 32%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #17
- Known For: Current Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois
22. Mitt Romney

- Popularity: 33%
- Updated Ranking: Stayed the Same
- Known For: Current U.S. Junior Senator of Utah
21. Tom Cotton

- Popularity: 33%
- Updated Ranking: New on the List
- Known For: Junior United States Senator from Arkansas
20. Mike Huckabee

- Popularity: 33%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #13
- Known For: Former Governor of Arkansas and Former Presidential Candidate
19. Greg Abbott

- Popularity: 33%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #15
- Known For: Current Governor of Texas
18. Vivek Ramaswamy

- Popularity: 34%
- Updated Ranking: New on the List
- Known For: Former Presidential Candidate (2023)
17. Herman Cain

- Popularity: 34%
- Updated Ranking: New on the List
- Known For: Businessman and Former Presidential Candidate (2012)
16. Barry Goldwater

- Popularity: 34%
- Updated Ranking: New on the List
- Known For: Former Senator of Arizona and Former Presidential Candidate
15. Nikki Haley

- Popularity: 34%
- Updated Ranking: Up from #24
- Known For: Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and Former Presidential Candidate
14. Elizabeth Dole

- Popularity: 35%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #10
- Known For: Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison and United States Secretary of Transportation
13. Marco Rubio

- Popularity: 35%
- Updated Ranking: Up from #19
- Known For: U.S. Senator from Florida and Former Presidential Candidate
12. Newt Gingrich

- Popularity: 36%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #16
- Known For: Former Member of the House of Representatives from Georgia
11. Rand Paul

- Popularity: 37%
- Updated Ranking: Stayed the Same
- Known For: Senator from Kentucky and Former Presidential Candidate
10. Bob Dole

- Popularity: 38%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #9
- Known For: Former Republican Leader of the Senate
9. Tim Scott

- Popularity: 38%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #8
- Known For: Junior Senator from South Carolina and Former Presidential Candidate
8. Henry Kissinger

- Popularity: 40%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #5
- Known For: Former U.S. Secretary of State
7. Ron DeSantis

- Popularity: 40%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #6
- Known For: Governor of Florida and Former Presidential Candidate
6. Ted Cruz

- Popularity: 40%
- Updated Ranking: Up from #12
- Known For: Senator from Texas
5. Sarah Palin

- Popularity: 41%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #7
- Known For: Former Governor of Alaska
4. Donald Trump

- Popularity: 43%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #3
- Known For: Former President of the United States
3. Ben Carson

- Popularity: 44%
- Updated Ranking: Down from #2
- Known For: Retired Neurosurgeon and Former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
2. George W. Bush

- Popularity: 47%
- Updated Ranking: Up from #4
- Known For: Former President of the United States
1. Arnold Schwarzenegger

- Popularity: 55%
- Updated Ranking: Stayed the Same
- Known For: Actor and Former Governor of California