--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's happened is the Republicans have…" description: "\"What's happened is the Republicans have been smart.\" — Collin Peterson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/collin-peterson-19338_democracy_what-s-happened-is-the-republicans-have_243073.jpg" --- # What's happened is the Republicans have been smart. ![“What's happened is the Republicans have been smart.” quote by Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/collin-peterson-19338_democracy_what-s-happened-is-the-republicans-have_243073.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/collin-peterson-19338_democracy_what-s-happened-is-the-republicans-have_243073.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/collin-peterson-19338_democracy_what-s-happened-is-the-republicans-have_243073.jpg) > “What's happened is the Republicans have been smart.” [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker notes Republican success as a result of strategic intelligence and adaptability. **In simple terms:** Republicans are clever. Key Takeaway Learn from strategic political moves. Themes politics strategy intelligence Mood analytical critical Type political strategic When to use this quote - campaign planning - policy advocacy - voter outreach - media strategy Key Concepts electoral tactics party dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What strategies made them effective? - Can similar tactics work for other parties? A Different Perspective Success may also stem from luck or external factors, not just cleverness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Happened Republicans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened-republicans-2433691/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Republicans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republicans/) [Republicans Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republicans-smart-2433690/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [... while the Republicans are smart enough to make money, the Democrats are smart enough to get in office every two or three times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/while-the-republicans-are-smart-enough-to-make-money-the-democrats/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Republicans have spent a lot of money redistricting and everything, getting control of these governorships and statehouses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/republicans-have-spent-a-lot-of-money-redistricting-and-everything/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [The question for the Republicans running the confirmation hearings in the United States Senate is whose rules are they going to use?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/the-question-for-the-republicans-running-the-confirmation-hearings-in/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Every person of any rank in the left, from voter on up to cabinet member to elected official in the Democrat Party, has contempt.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/every-person-of-any-rank-in-the-left-from-voter-on-up-to-cabinet/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I would rather keep all the levels lower and stick to the sequester, but there are people in leadership who live outside of reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-amash/i-would-rather-keep-all-the-levels-lower-and-stick-to-the-sequester/) [Justin Amash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-amash/) > [Moderate Republicans are reverse Houdinis. They tie themselves up in knots and then tell you they can’t do anything because they’re tied up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/moderate-republicans-are-reverse-houdinis-they-tie-themselves-up-in/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [the Republicans love to say that the Democratic Party is ruled by 'special interests.' But when pressed to name these 'special interests,' the usual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/the-republicans-love-to-say-that-the-democratic-party-is-ruled-by/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [The Republicans have chosen to neglect young Americans who need assistance with the costs of higher education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-conyers/the-republicans-have-chosen-to-neglect-young-americans-who-need/) [John Conyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-conyers/) > [Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [The Democrats and the Republicans are equally corrupt where money is concerned. It's only in the amount where the Republicans excel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-democrats-and-the-republicans-are-equally-corrupt-where-money-is/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [I can tell you this. It is not going to be evenly constituted and when she was Speaker Pelosi, she certainly showed no interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/i-can-tell-you-this-it-is-not-going-to-be-evenly-constituted-and-when/) [Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) ## More by Collin Peterson > [ There's no question that \[Donald\] Trump got elected because of rural America. And our party still is in denial. They don't get it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/there-s-no-question-that-donald-trump-got-elected-because-of-rural/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [ So \[Republicans\] packed all the Democrats into districts, very Democratic districts. What that's done is made our party urban, more liberal, and so those… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/so-republicans-packed-all-the-democrats-into-districts-very/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [I don't know how you change that. There's hardly anybody left like me in the Democratic Party in Congress. These districts have been so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/i-don-t-know-how-you-change-that-there-s-hardly-anybody-left-like-me/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [ \[Rural people\] have a different lifestyle, and they don't want to change it. They're happy with the way things are. It's causing the party… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/rural-people-have-a-different-lifestyle-and-they-don-t-want-to-change/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [I fought NAFTA when it passed; it has been a big disaster for us, in my opinion. If we can renegotiate that, it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/i-fought-nafta-when-it-passed-it-has-been-a-big-disaster-for-us-in-my/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [NAFTA's been a big problem for sugar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/nafta-s-been-a-big-problem-for-sugar/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [ The \[Democratic\] party's become an urban party, and they don't get rural America. They don't get agriculture. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/the-democratic-party-s-become-an-urban-party-and-they-don-t-get-rural/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [Republicans have spent a lot of money redistricting and everything, getting control of these governorships and statehouses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/republicans-have-spent-a-lot-of-money-redistricting-and-everything/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [ It was kind of interesting: \[People\] didn't really want to talk about it too much. And then after the election, it's kind of like… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/it-was-kind-of-interesting-people-didn-t-really-want-to-talk-about-it/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [ I always run ahead of the ticket \[compared to Democratic presidential candidates\]. But this time there were a lot of people that just voted… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/i-always-run-ahead-of-the-ticket-compared-to-democratic-presidential/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [ If everybody in our caucus had a 50/50 \[Democrat/Republican\] district, we'd have a lot different discussion. But if they have a 90 percent Democratic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/if-everybody-in-our-caucus-had-a-50-50-democrat-republican-district/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [I heard a lot about the Affordable Care Act, too. About how people in the individual market were getting clobbered with all these increases,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/i-heard-a-lot-about-the-affordable-care-act-too-about-how-people-in/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [ You can't have a majority party in Minnesota or throughout the country without \[support from\] the people in these \[rural\] districts. Given the position… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/you-can-t-have-a-majority-party-in-minnesota-or-throughout-the/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [The banks run the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/the-banks-run-the-place/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [ \[Bernie\] Sanders tapped into that \[trade issues\]; that was part of his support. And then when he didn't make it, some of those Sanders… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/bernie-sanders-tapped-into-that-trade-issues-that-was-part-of-his/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) [Explore all 33 Collin Peterson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What's happened is the Republicans have been smart.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Collin Peterson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/what-s-happened-is-the-republicans-have-been-smart/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/what-s-happened-is-the-republicans-have-been-smart/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/collin-peterson-19338_democracy_what-s-happened-is-the-republicans-have_243073.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/collin-peterson-19338_democracy_what-s-happened-is-the-republicans-have_243073.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/collin-peterson-19338_democracy_what-s-happened-is-the-republicans-have_243073.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What's happened is the Republicans have been smart.” — Collin Peterson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Collin Peterson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What's happened is the Republicans have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/what-s-happened-is-the-republicans-have-been-smart/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/what-s-happened-is-the-republicans-have-been-smart/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```