Actually, George Bush the First really wasn't that bad for a Republican. He ended the Gulf War after liberating Kuwait despite the "On to Baghdad!" fervor from everyone else, did more than Reagan or Bush II did for the environment (IIRC), and actually decided to raise taxes when it was clear Reaganomics wasn't working.
Of course, the latter cost him a second term due to him stupidly promising not to raise taxes at the beginning.