In U.S. history, a term used early in the 20th cent. to designate a faction of the Republican Party that was made up of conservatives. They were against another faction of the GOP called the Insurgents or progressive Republicans. The term is said to have originated in Mark Hanna's comment regarding an election—all that was necessary for Republican victory was, in poker parlance, to "stand pat." [1]
^Michael Wolraich, "Unreasonable Men: Theodore Roosevelt and The Republican Rebels Who created Progressive Politics" Palgrave Macmillan, New York, New York(2014) p.8
