Josh Hawley, Republican Senator from Missouri and a major spokesman for the MAGA movement, has advanced several modest proposals that promise to change the GOP. In an opinion piece for the New York Times, Hawley warns his party to avoid pitfalls that have hurt Republicans in the past.

Specifically, the Missouri Senator addresses Medicaid, which allows 9 million Americans to obtain decent medical care. Hawley urges his colleagues to support Medicaid, rejecting the denizens of Project 2025 who want to gut the program. Partially, it is because his home state has quite a number of Medicaid recipients, particularly in the rural areas. However, there are deeper reasons for Hawley’s appeal to his party, which is that the party has to recognize Trump’s contributions to the GOP.

Whether they like it or not, the old-style Republican Guard, represented by Mitch McConnell and what Hawley refers to as the “Wall Street Wing,” must accept these additions to the party. The old regulars who reject Trump have forced the party to wrestle with an “identity crisis;” that “crisis” is that MAGA Republicans are different in that they are more working class.

No longer is the Republican leadership one of the country-club variety. Many are disaffected Democrats, but are not quite convinced that the party will stay changed after Trump leaves office.

This is why Hawley has warned the House Republicans and the traditional pro-business factions that not to embrace Trump is “politically suicidal.” For conservatives, the necessity is to accept Trump’s convictions that MAGA is a movement that protects working Americans.

Hawley’s opinion piece also recognizes the differences between the Party movement and MAGA. Tea Partiers are free-trade, anti-social welfare, and are somewhat libertarian. Their favorite was Mitt Romney, not Mike Huckabee, one of the Heralds of Trumpism. The mantra of being “fiscally conservative and socially liberal” is no longer the consensus view in the Republican Party.

Trump also differs from traditional Republicans in that he is not a “hawk” in foreign affairs. In temperament and inclination, the President prefers peace over war. At least in the early days, he has tried to find peaceful solutions in the India-Pakistan border dispute, the Russia-Ukraine War, and the ongoing struggles in Gaza and Syria.

To his credit, Trump is not locked into the positions usually espoused by the John Bolton’s of the world. The President is flexible and not reactive in foreign affairs – easily his strongest trait.

Hawley simply wants to extend this approach to domestic affairs. If Trump follows his lead, it could mean the formation of a new party. It might call itself Republican, but it could represent a new consensus.

Hawley’s appeal is important, and the President would be smart to heed the advice.