My understanding is Eisenhower also ran as a Republican because there were many Republicans in the rising internatonalist wing of the party, people like Thomas Dewey who were sincerely worried about Robert Taft getting the nomination. Most people forget that the GOP had a lot of isolationists even after WWII and in the early years of the Cold War. It was Eisenhower who would no doubt be called a RINO today that transformed that Republican party from isolationist to internationalist. Eisenhower was a good guy in my book which is why I guess it disgusts me to see conservatives and republicans embracing the John Birch Society. The same people who said Ike and his secretary of state, John Foster Dulles were communist agents or dupes.