The Right Is Waking Up—Is the Sector Paying Attention?

By Shannon Jones

Last week, Senator Josh Hawley published a column in The New York Times that made more than a few people in the early childhood policy world sit up straighter.

While I don’t always agree with Senator Hawley—or his style—the core of his message should not be ignored: Republicans must decide whether they want to be the party of working families or a permanent minority clinging to corporate tax cuts and outdated ideology.

He’s not wrong. And whether you like the messenger or not, the message is clear: the ground under our feet is shifting.

In the op-ed, Hawley defends Medicaid, calls for child-focused tax cuts, and highlights how real families—including a Missouri mother of five whose child relies on Medicaid for life-sustaining care—depend on these programs to survive. He frames the issue not as charity, but as conservative responsibility. And he’s right to do so.

The truth is, a new conservative coalition is emerging—one that values work, parenthood, family formation, and dignity over trickle-down economics and government indifference. This isn’t just a theoretical shift. It’s already playing out in polling, legislation, and public sentiment:

64% of Republicans hold a favorable view of Medicaid.

More than 80% of Americans oppose cuts to it.

Support for the child tax credit—especially refundable versions—is growing on both sides of the aisle.

And yet, far too many in the nonprofit and philanthropic space are still lobbying for policies as if this shift isn’t happening.

We keep showing up with 10-point white papers about universal preschool and workforce development pipelines, wondering why nothing sticks. We assume “evidence-based” is enough. We default to centrist language instead of strategic alignment with the actual values held by those in power.

As I argued in my last blog, it’s not enough to change the language. We have to change the posture. We have to build policy agendas that actually work within the current governing reality—not just the one we wish we had.

When someone like Senator Hawley—not exactly known for his moderation—argues that Medicaid is essential to rural hospitals and that child tax cuts are morally urgent, he’s not making a liberal case. He’s making a conservative one rooted in faith, family, and working-class identity.

That’s the playbook. And it’s one we should be paying attention to.

And it’s not just Medicaid. The same shift is happening around paid family leave. When framed around bonding, stability, and honoring the role of parents—especially fathers—paid leave becomes not a progressive ask, but a conservative investment in the strength of the American family.

Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) has been a leading voice on this issue. In a March 2025 op-ed, she emphasized the importance of supporting working families through practical, pro-business solutions. She wrote,

“Having a child, tending to a family member, or prioritizing personal health and wellbeing should not force workers to miss a paycheck or lose their job entirely.”

Fischer’s approach focuses on incentivizing employers to offer paid family and medical leave through tax credits, rather than imposing mandates. This method aims to balance the needs of employees with the capacities of businesses, particularly small ones. By making such tax credits permanent, the goal is to provide stability and predictability for both employers and employees.

This perspective aligns with a broader conservative shift toward policies that support family stability and workforce participation—without growing bureaucracy or expanding federal mandates.

I’ve said it before: this isn’t selling out. It’s showing up. With policy proposals that resonate with today’s conservative voters and lawmakers. With messaging that says “we see you” to working parents and families trying to stay afloat. With strategies that trade performance for impact.

If you're in this field—whether you're an advocate, a funder, or a policymaker—don’t ignore what’s happening on the right. It’s not a threat. It’s a moment of opportunity.

But only if we’re bold enough to meet it.

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Shannon Jones is the founder of On Key Strategies, a consulting firm helping mission-driven organizations craft smart, strategic advocacy aligned with today’s political realities. A longtime public servant, she currently serves as a Republican County Commissioner in Ohio and is a former member of the Ohio General Assembly, where she led efforts to improve maternal and infant health, expand early learning, and advance bipartisan child and family policies.