As of this moment, two Republican nominees have failed to get the number of votes necessary to win the position. The whole thing appears to be turning into a game of musical chairs as the nation watches on. But an important question, one with which conservative voters will have to contend, centers on whether this indicates that the establishment will continue to reign over the GOP. After four years of former President Donald Trump and the rise of Republican lawmakers who embrace his brand of right-leaning populism, it appears the old guard’s grip on the party and movement remains largely intact.

Unless I’m way off base or a miracle happens, Jordan’s loss is the anti-establishment faction’s loss. It once again highlights that the establishment, with its cronyism, lobbying, and moneyed interests, is far too deeply embedded in the fabric of both parties to be easily removed.

If I’m right and House Republicans end up choosing another McCarthyesque figure to lead the party in Congress, then it should serve as yet another wake-up call to the base. It’s another indication that their party has not only failed them but has done so deliberately.

Remember, only eight Republican lawmakers voted for McCarthy’s ouster – the rest overwhelmingly supported him, including the populist Trumpian elements of the party. The effort required the help of Democrats to remove the former speaker, which should make one wonder: What was in it for them? Perhaps this is more proof of the existence of a uniparty in which Teams Red and Blue only pretend to oppose one another while glad-handing backstage as if they were WWE wrestlers.

So, if the establishment is too deeply entrenched in the Republican Party, what should conservative voters do? The answer isn’t easy. This is where I would normally highlight the importance of local politics. Since we are unlikely to get a majority of leaders in Congress who actually care about protecting liberty and defending our natural and constitutional rights, it makes sense to shore up a bulwark against government overreach at the local level. It is why I’m such an avid proponent of shifting our focus from national to local and state-level politics.

But along with this shift in focus, conservative voters should also be asking another question: Does this party truly reflect my values? I’m not talking about the values the GOP claims to espouse, but the values they show when they get in office.

From where I sit, it would be nearly impossible to argue that the Republican Party actually embodies conservatism. Sure, there may be a few here and there who are serious about rolling back the state and preserving our liberties, but at this point, they are few and far between. The hard, cold reality is that the Republican Party does not represent conservatism, plain and simple.

Instead of focusing on the party, we must get to a point where we are focusing on individual candidates. We can no longer assume that just because someone has an “R” next to their name, they are on our side. Chances are, they will be just as eager to grow the government and violate our rights as the guy with the “D” next to his name.

The GOP stays in power (even when it loses elections) because they know the conservative base will never stop voting for them – even their establishment candidates. The only chance of reforming that party will be to show the party that this isn’t true – especially at the local and state level. Perhaps more right-leaning Independents or Libertarians need to be winning these elections than those running under the Republican banner.

Other than this, I see no other way of pushing the GOP to live up to its stated values or getting people in office who just want to leave us alone when they get there. It sounds like a pipe dream, and maybe it is, but at this juncture, there is no other way to have a semblance of a chance of victory. It is clear that the GOP failed conservative voters a long time ago. The question is: What are they willing to do about it?