Oh good heavens, the "Moral Majority" was all about not respecting individualism and instead mandating to the extent possible what was considered to be traditional Christian values.

And all the reactionary anti-CRT anti-trans anti-woke anti-abortion sentiment is in exactly the same vein: not "individual freedom" but "stop that objectionable stuff".

The Republicans tolerate classical liberal ideas as long as they don't muck with conservatism. The espouse classical liberal values whenever they can get in a good shot at the Democrats by doing so. But they're a long way from classically liberal, and have been for ages (notwithstanding the occasional Libertarian who has been awkwardly hanging out there with nowhere else to go). The leftward edge of the Democratic party is now also a long way from classically liberal, but that doesn't mean that the Republicans are carrying the mantle. It means that liberalism is dragging on the floor, meekly held up by moderate Democrats and the occasional Republican willing to risk the wrath of their party.