In U.S. political history, "standpatter" was a term used early in the 20th century to describe particular members of the Republican Party who were more conservative than other members. They were said to be philosophically similar to those of the earlier "Stalwart" faction.

What is a Standpat?

(Entry 1 of 2) : stubbornly conservative : resisting or opposing change. stand pat. verb.

Where does the term standing pat come from?

Etymology. Probably originally a poker phrase, with "pat" equaling "optimal", meaning that drawing more cards is unnecessary. Later the phrase came to be employed in other spheres.