The new (and old) faces of the GOP

In January, the Democratic Party marched into the White House, leaving the GOP in an unfamiliar situation — on the outside, looking in.

Political pundits weighed in on what the GOP needed to do to get back on track, while others wondered if the party was going the way of the dodo: Steven Schmidt, chief strategist for Sen. John McCain's campaign, went as far as to say that the GOP is "near extinct in many ways ... if you look at the state of the party, it is a shrinking entity." (Watch the video here.)

But before anyone starts breaking out the funeral gear, there's plenty of evidence that November 4 was a galvanizing moment for some Republicans, those who believe that this will be a new chapter in the party's history. Here's a look at the mix of new (and old) and old faces who could be the new leader of the Grand Old Party:

Gov. Bobby Jindal - Jindal became a household name in 2007, when he was elected governor of Louisiana, becoming both the youngest governor in the U.S. and the first Indian-American governor in U.S. history. His name was mentioned as a possible McCain running mate in the 2008 election, but Jindal quashed any rumors. From Fox News:

"I have said in every private and public conversation, I've got the job that I want. And I'll say again on air: I'm not going to be the vice presidential nominee or vice president."

Jindal's glow dimmed somewhat after his universally panned GOP response to Obama's State of the Union in February; on CNN's "Larry King Live," he acknowledged his less-than-stellar performance with grace and humor:

"...the president is a great speaker — probably the greatest we've seen in a generation. I'm certainly not nearly as good of a speaker as he is. And I'm not the only one that's got that opinion."

Rush Limbaugh - With Obama in the White House, the no-holds-barred radio host has now emerged as one of the most visible faces in the GOP today, for better or worse. In January, Limbaugh wasted no time in throwing down the gauntlet. From his radio show:

"...I've been listening to Barack Obama for a year-and-a-half. I know what his politics are. I know what his plans are, as he has stated them. I don't want them to succeed ... I hope he fails."

Some Republicans have attempted to put him in his place — at their own peril. RNC chairman Michael Steele appeared on CNN and dismissed Limbaugh, saying, "Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer." Days later, Steele found himself apologizing, telling Politico that he was "maybe a little bit inarticulate." In May, Vanity Fair dedicated an almost 3,000-word tome to Limbaugh's newfound influence, called "The Man Who Ate the G.O.P." Not bad for an "entertainer," right?

Michael Steele - In January, Steele was elected the head of the Republican National Committee, becoming the party's first black chairman. His election, according to Politico, was a signal that the GOP was serious about starting fresh.

While Steele initially made headlines for the infamous Limbaugh kerfuffle, he is creating his own buzz by promising to shake up the GOP with a "50-state strategy" and vowing to reach out to younger voters with an "off the hook" makeover. From The Washington Times:
"We want to convey that the modern-day GOP looks like the conservative party that stands on principles. But we want to apply them to urban-suburban hip-hop settings."

Meghan McCain - The senator's daughter did not go gently into that good night after her father lost in November; on the contrary, since then, the young Republican is everywhere — McCain has a blog on the The Dailybeast.com, has appeared on "The View," "The Rachel Maddow Show," and recently snagged a six-figure book deal about "what it means to be a progressive Republican," reports The New York Observer.

Her DailyBeast blog covers everything from the Republican Party's lack of internet savvy to GOP "hotties." Her blog beef with fellow conservative Ann Coulter sparked a web smackdown with Laura Ingraham, who mocked McCain for being a "plus-sized model"; McCain fired back with an appearance on "The View," telling critics to "kiss her fat a**.' Who says politics is dull?

Sarah Palin - Any list of Republican stars would be incomplete without Gov. Sarah Palin. Even before the 2008 election was over, pundits were already debating whether Palin was positioned for a 2012 run. Newsweek even created a playbook for Palin, "should she want to gun for the top job next time around." Never one to mince words, in an interview with Greta Van Susteren, Palin said "...if there is an open door in '12 or four years later ... then I'll plow through that door."

Newt Gringrich - The former speaker of the House, on the other hand, has been coy about a possible 2012 run. During his turn on Van Susteren's show, Gringrich wouldn't say "yes" or "no" when asked directly about running. In March, however, Gingrich told the Richmond-Times Dispatch that he would at least consider a run:

"... we'll probably get our family totally engaged, including our two grandchildren, probably in January 2011, and we'll look seriously at whether or not we think it's necessary to do it."

Various polls paint a dire picture of the Republican Party — a recent CBS News/New York Times poll showed that Democrats had a 56 percent national approval rating, compared to the GOP's 31 percent. But while the GOP is currently down, it's certainly not out — there's a reason that it's taken Democrats 12 years to regain the majority.

As former House majority Dick Armey tells Time magazine, "I think the Republican Party has hit the lowest point ... they're on their way back."
- Lili Ladaga

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