FYI,
"RNC Chair Candidates Respond to Morton Blackwell's Questionnaire"
TownHall.com
http://townhall.com/blog/g/08543e5b-9fbe-4253-b05d-d7d8fd1011eb?
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: I have obtained a copy of the long-awaited and
: highly-anticipated responses to RNC Committeeman Morton C.
: Blackwell's questionnaire. All six declared RNC Chair
: candidates responded. The answers are below:
: Questionnaire for Candidates for
: Chairman of the Republican National Committee
: Prepared and distributed to candidates for RNC chairman
: November 25, 2008, by Morton C. Blackwell, Virginia
: Republican National Committeeman, 3128 N. 17th St.,
: Arlington, VA 22201, res. xxx-xxx-xxxx, off. xxx-xxx-xxxx
: The 37 questions are in bold. The answers are just as provided
: by Saul Anuzis of Michigan, Ken Blackwell of Ohio, Katon Dawson
: of South Carolina, Mike Duncan of Kentucky, John "Chip"
: Saltsman of Tennessee, and Michael Steele of Maryland. I
: deeply appreciate the cooperation of all these candidates.
: -- MCB
: PARTY MATTERS
: 1. Democrats beat Republicans badly on the ground in 2008 by
: pouring vast amounts of time, talent, and money into an
: unprecedented, high-tech effort to identify and register
: supporters, communicate to those supporters, and get them to
: vote.
: As RNC chairman, what would you do to make sure that Democrats
: do not have a comparable ground-game advantage in 2010?
: Saul Anuzis: The challenges we faced in 2008 had less to do
: with infrastructure and more to do with a passion deficit that
: our party experienced throughout 2008. The articulation of
: good ideas breeds passion; Passion breeds excitement;
: excitement breeds volunteers, and volunteers are the life's
: blood of a political ground game. So our first task is to be
: the party that is effectively communicating conservative
: ideas, so that we can once again stir the passions of our
: nation. Then, we have to do an operational and programmatic
: audit of every aspect of what the RNC currently does and make
: adjustments accordingly. On some fronts, the RNC is doing a
: great job. In other areas, we need to make tweaks, and in yet
: other areas, we need to completely revamp the system. I plan
: to seek input from those that have run successful campaigns;
: candidates; and state party leaders to make the changes
: necessary to be successful nationally.
: Ken Blackwell: Developing a nationwide ground game will be
: one of my top priorities. However, to have an exceptional
: ground game, our Party must first inspire thousands of people
: who can then be activated to work for our shared values during
: the election cycle. Lately, our party has become overly focused
: on mechanics while failing to articulate a clear, concise,
: positive and practical message. To inspire enough prospective
: Republican volunteers to be a part of a new "ground game," we
: must stand firm for our core beliefs: Limited government,
: traditional values and a strong national defense. If we become
: the "Obama-lite" party, we will not be able to recruit the
: substantial number of volunteers needed for such a massive
: effort.
: As chairman of the Republican Party, I will lead by
: articulating a clear conservative vision that paints in bold
: strokes, not pale pastels. Doing so will rally a dispirited
: Republican base and present a vision that stands in stark
: contrast to the failed left-wing policies of the Obama
: Administration. This is the first and most important step we
: can take to rebuild the ground game of the Republican Party.
: The second part of developing a nationwide ground game will be
: more difficult and much more expensive than many imagine. We
: cannot wait until 2010 to begin working but must start right
: away. In general, Republicans must recruit people in every
: area and in every walk of life who will help us spread our
: message of hope and optimism.
: Republicans must recruit a new generation of precinct leaders
: and block captains. Since one size does not fit all, people
: will be encouraged to organize in a manner that best fits
: their lifestyles and talents. We will strive to develop new
: models to complement the traditional model that works so well
: in many areas. For example, models may include friend-to-friend
: programs utilizing the telephone or Internet.
: Within the first 30 days after I take office, I will call a
: nationwide summit to develop a new ground game for the
: Republican Party. No such effort can be effective without
: leadership from the top. I will personally preside over the
: summit. I will personally walk door-to-door in Ohio. I will
: personally participate in a "friend-to-friend" or "friends and
: family" voter ID program. I will lead by example, and I will
: challenge every staff member and RNC member to participate,
: too.
: But first, we must develop a national consensus on what the
: best, most effective ground game will be. I would not suggest
: a typical RNC program that dictates to states the way it must
: ID voters. Rather, I want to develop a new era of cooperation
: in which state and local leaders committed to having an
: effective ground game help develop the plan from inception.
: Theory will get us nowhere. We need something that will work in
: the field. Any successful 72-hour programs or state and local
: precinct organizations that are functioning will be closely
: examined to see if the effective components can be used or
: implemented elsewhere. I envision a nearly paperless ground
: operation in which all data is permanently stored,
: electronically edited and kept for use by state parties in
: future years.
: As outlined in my December 5, 2008 announcement letter, I want
: to pursue employing a large number of field workers to
: supplement our volunteer effort to register new voters. I
: would focus on three projects:
: * Hire coordinators to work with churches and other
: conservative organizations across the country to help them sign
: up the members of their congregations who are not registered to
: vote;
: * Expend an unprecedented amount of RNC funding to build
: vibrant College Republican chapters on every major university
: campus in the nation and use those chapters as a base to
: register young people to join the Republican Party, and;
: * Hire teams of workers to walk door-to-door in targeted
: neighborhoods to register voters.
: I am aware of the legal hurdles that we would need to clear to
: implement these three programs, and I believe that we can do so
: effectively. I also believe that we can incorporate fundraising
: into these projects to offset much of the cost.
: Katon Dawson: If we are to truly spread our message of
: conservatism across America and have it once again resonate
: with voters from all walks of life, the Republican Party must
: have a presence on "Main Street America".
: In 2008, the GOP's strategy of "winning 50 percent plus one"
: and sticking strictly to the electoral math cost us dearly.
: The result was Democrats making gains almost everywhere
: -- even in the reddest of states. Our message was lost and
: good candidates didn't have a chance due to the monetary and
: strategic advantages of the Obama campaign. Republicans can't
: wait until the next election season to improve our
: on-the-ground operation -- the rebuilding must start now.
: For decades, Republicans have neglected urban areas and the
: Northeastern United States. Our party didn't invest where it
: thought it couldn't win, and now conservatism is stale or
: nearly dead in these areas. The consequences can be felt all
: the way down to the local and state levels, where unchecked
: increases in taxes and spending and failing school systems are
: now commonplace. All of this is unacceptable to voters, and
: should be unacceptable to the Republican Party.
: That is why I am spearheading Project 3141, an effort to build
: our Party's state and local organizations and push the
: Republican message in all of our nation's 3,141 counties. By
: creating a presence in each county, we will be able to
: communicate directly with individual communities. Republicans
: can offer these communities conservative solutions to the
: problems they face and show Americans from all walks of life
: -- from rural communities to urban areas -- that conservatism
: works.
: All counties in America have different identities and different
: needs, even if they are in the same geographic region or the
: same state. Voters will begin to see that Republican solutions
: can be applied to a wide range of issues; that we can also fix
: our failing schools, make healthcare more affordable for
: small-business owners and families, and preserve our natural
: resources. Americans will indeed see that there is room for
: everyone under our banner of strong traditional values.
: My plan for Project 3141 is twofold. First, it allows us to
: infiltrate areas that are solidly Democrat or have been
: neglected by our Party in the past, and it allows us to
: strengthen the conservative movement in areas where Republicans
: have made gains.
: In counties and regions that are historically blue or have
: recently become blue, the GOP needs to make a considerable push
: to reach voters and build grassroots organizations. The
: party-switching of the past will never happen again if the
: Republican Party does not start reaching out to every community
: in every region.
: By strengthening Republican organizations in each of these blue
: counties and recruiting candidates to run for every office on
: the ballot, voters will see a clearer distinction among
: Democrats and Republicans. I believe our candidates will start
: winning once communities realize that Republican solutions lead
: to job creation and greater opportunities for families, and
: state and local governments now dominated by Democrats will
: experience a common-sense check in government.
: But most importantly, the seed will be planted in these blue
: counties for a conservative alternative that will only grow in
: future generations.
: Project 3141 is also imperative to those counties that have
: existing or thriving Republican grassroots organizations. We
: must not take our victories for granted, and we must not become
: idle in these GOP strongholds. We must recognize the potential
: for Democrats to make inroads to traditional Republican
: strongholds -- the 2008 election proved the Obama campaign was
: successful at doing just that. Project 3141 will enable the
: Republican Party to strengthen our county organizations.
: Coalition-building is imperative to a successful party
: organization. By rebuilding the Republican Party starting at
: the county level, our conservative message will be organically
: planted into existing community groups and organizations.
: With the approach of the 2010 Census and the potential for
: congressional redistricting, organizing in each county through
: Project 3141 also provides a better roadmap for victory.
: Instead of reacting to the addition or subtraction of districts
: in each state, the Republican Party will already be proactive
: in preparing for each congressional race wherever the lines are
: drawn.
: Project 3141 calls for considerable effort from the Republican
: National Committee to help empower our state parties and county
: organizations. Coordination and communication among existing
: and future organizations will be tantamount in the projects
: success. County organizations and regional field operations
: must have the tools they need. Both existing resources, such
: as Voter Vault and existing e-mail and volunteer lists, and new
: resources, such as outreach with new media, must be used to get
: the job done. County party leaders with thriving organizations
: can mentor counties that are just forming with the RNC
: providing further support as needed.
: The future of our party depends on our ability to communicate
: our conservative message to all Americans. Project 3,141 will
: help accomplish that goal.
: One key to our success will be developing and deploying a
: comprehensive technology strategy. My Operation eGOP plan sets
: several priorities that will integrate the latest information
: technology across all RNC departments to save cost, increase
: productivity, recruit new activists and influence elections at
: all levels of government.
: The RNC will create regional eCampaign Directors to work with
: state and local parties to guarantee that they have the
: resources necessary to execute their plans. The eCampaign
: Directors will be expected to work with state party staff to
: assist them in their effort to learn and use tactics with new
: media, social networking and other Web 2.0 applications
: Second, the RNC will invest in new technology to build a
: platform so that multiple vendors can use RNC technological
: and information resources for candidate websites and tools. The
: RNC will use a competitive bidding process by seeking solutions
: from the leading information technology and Web 2.0 companies
: in the world.
: Third, the RNC will invest in a robust and open social network
: that allows our activists to network and share ideas to make
: them more effective advocates for our party. The network
: should allow activists and users to create their own
: applications to improve and expand the network
: Finally, we will commit to recruiting 5 million new online
: activists. Technology is rapidly changing American politics.
: To be successful at the ballot box the RNC must embrace and
: capitalize on it.
: Mike Duncan: In 2008, the Obama Campaign put forward the best
: ground game that Republicans have ever faced. They
: accomplished this by raising and spending unprecedented amounts
: of money that paid for offices and staff to offset every
: Republican volunteer. They have also effectively broken the
: public financing system for Presidential campaigns.
: While we can learn from our opponents, I firmly believe that
: the media has created a myth that Republicans forgot how to
: run a ground game. The RNC had one of the most robust ground
: games in history, contacting twice as many voters by and phone
: and by door-to-door activity as we did in 2004. Our Victory
: efforts in Georgia for the run-off election of US Senator
: Saxby Chambliss are a great example of what can be done when
: everyone works together. Our early vote/absentee ballot
: program gave Saxby a lead of 200,000 votes going into Election
: Day, an advantage he did not have in the General Election.
: One area where we must improve is in capturing votes before
: Election Day. Methods of early voting are growing in
: popularity and our traditional "72 Hour" volunteer model is no
: longer adequate. For example, we need to help State Parties
: better integrate online social networks and other new media
: technologies into our voter turnout strategy, as the RNC was
: able to do in the Georgia run-off election. As a part of my
: focus on making the RNC a Member driven committee, I will ask
: RNC Members to volunteer on a working group to identify best
: practices for early voting and make recommendations for all
: State Parties to consider.
: I am also calling for resources to be committed in every state
: via Partnership 2010, an initiative that will support a paid
: staff member for every State Party to assist with Victory
: programs, voter registration, candidate recruitment, and
: redistricting/reapportionment.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: As Republicans, we must ensure that all
: fifty states have a strong party infrastructure capable of
: winning elections at all levels of government and in all
: political environments. As RNC Chairman, I will begin my term
: by consulting with each state's Chairman, Committeeman, and
: Committeewoman to develop a comprehensive strategy for voter
: registration, voter identification, and voter mobilization.
: Working together with state party leaders, we will identify
: the most effective techniques and programs and, where
: applicable, urge state officials to adopt the best practices
: of their colleagues. My state-based strategy, coupled with a
: major investment in technology by the national party, will help
: Republicans leapfrog the Democrats' online advantages from the
: 2008 cycle. However, I want to emphasize that technology, in
: and of itself, did not produce the superior Democratic ground
: game in 2008. A strong ground game is directly linked to voter
: motivation. The Democrats were simply more inspired to act in
: 2008. Without strong and appealing ideas and attractive
: candidates, all the technology in the world will not produce
: success at the ballot box.
: Michael Steele: As Chairman, starting day one, I will focus
: the RNC's energy, time, and resources towards building our
: grassroots thru our State Parties. We can't wait until a few
: weeks before an election to mobilize our ground troops and
: expect positive results. In fact, any ground-game strategy
: must begin in 2009 in Virginia and New Jersey!
: We need to update our technology while adjusting and developing
: new winning strategies. This will only happen if we invest
: early in technology while at the same time exploring ways to
: maintain that personal voter touch that only the Grassroots
: can provide. Our efforts should begin with strategically
: targeted voter registration programs designed to build the
: ground infrastructure and supporter network simultaneously.
: Democrats had a far superior ground game in 2008. They
: invested heavily in it. They also had a unified message that
: energized liberals within the party and allied groups outside
: it. Traditional Republicans voters were far less energized
: (and our allied groups were fractured and scattered). In short,
: our conservative base depressed and disconnected.
: As Chairman, I will work with every state and local Party
: organization to craft a unified strategy that will prove
: effective in each of the 435 congressional districts but will
: have devastating results when leveraged across 50 states and
: one nation. We will form a disciplined, tight-knit, responsive
: network to build a vigorous and representative national
: Republican presence.
: It will be my goal to recruit and train 25,000 grassroots
: activist leaders by 2012 drawn from every state in the union.
: Many of these folks will become campaign managers. Others
: will help organize, train, and mobilize volunteer organizations
: in their communities. Our Party will re-engage its base and the
: beat the Democrats!
: 2. When Democrats hold the White House, the RNC chairman has a
: greatly increased role in advocating what the Republican Party
: stands for.
: Many conservatives are intensely unhappy with the failure of
: party leaders to advance outspokenly the conservative
: principles of limited government, free enterprise, traditional
: values, and strong national defense.
: Social conservatives, especially, have been heard to say they
: are treated by Republican leaders as Democrats treated American
: blacks. That is, the party wants and gets all our votes but
: then pays little or no attention to us.
: Given the election results of 2008, conservatives might ask
: whether or not that means that next time we get to elect one
: of us as President of the United States.
: No issue politically important to major elements of the
: Democrats' coalition is absent from the Democrats'
: communications.
: As RNC chairman, what would you do to make sure that the RNC,
: in a balanced way, speaks out for the social issues so
: important to a huge number of potential Republican voters and
: so clearly stated in the democratically written and
: unanimously adopted 2008 National Republican Platform?
: Saul Anuzis: Our party will win when we start talking about
: the center-right conservative values that made us a majority
: party for most of the last 30 years. We are a coalition of
: social, economic, foreign affairs and cultural conservatives
: ...all are part of our winning coalition. We need to address
: all the issues facing our country. Specifically on social
: issues, we need to articulate our conservative philosophy in
: a compassionate manner that attracts people to our position
: through common sense.
: Ken Blackwell: Primarily, I will continue to speak out on
: the broad spectrum of issues important to the Republican
: coalition, including life and marriage, and will instruct my
: staff to do the same. We must reach out to all those who
: share our values, especially those who have provided the
: margin of victory in two presidential elections during the
: last decade. Social conservatives are an important part of a
: winning coalition, and we must let them know that we
: understand their importance.
: Targeting our messages to various demographic groups can
: minimize alienation of those voters who are may not be moved
: by a conservative social agenda or, for that matter, any other
: set of issues. While we absolutely must deliver a socially
: conservative message in our general media efforts, we can
: supplement it with targeted media as well. We ignore and take
: for granted core constituencies at our own peril. If we
: contend that social conservatives have "nowhere to go," we may
: be right. Next election, they might just stay home.
: Katon Dawson: As a party, we should never back down from
: respecting the sanctity of life or defend the institution of
: marriage. Indeed, we should always speak out to protect,
: strengthen and encourage the family as the bedrock of the
: American experience. Many independent voters and Reagan
: Democrats agree with us on those issues. These are among our
: bedrock beliefs as the conservative party in America, and the
: next RNC chairman must never waver in his or her support for
: them. I won't.
: Mike Duncan: First, I completely support the Republican Party
: Platform, which I think is one of the clearest and best
: statements of GOP core conservative values that has been
: presented to the American public. Second, I will ensure that
: principles embodied in the Platform will serve as a guide for
: the Republican Party's activities by creating the Center for
: Republican Renewal. Similar to policy efforts at the RNC in
: 1977 and again in 1993, this Center will be a forum for the
: RNC to work hand-in-hand with our House and Senate caucuses
: and conservative organizations across the country to ensure
: that our conservative message is formed and articulated
: effectively. Third, we will reconstitute the RNC Speakers
: Bureau, where we will make sure talented and informed
: surrogate speakers are carrying the conservative message to
: every corner of the country. Fourth, the RNC will participate
: in the regular meetings of conservative groups and the RNC
: will host frequent meetings with RNC Members and movement
: conservatives. One of my primary beliefs as we move forward
: is that the Republican Party must return to its core
: conservative values, and our programs will be designed to
: accomplish that goal.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: Republicans are successful when they
: are faithful to conservative ideals - smaller government,
: lower taxes, family values. Unfortunately, in recent years,
: actions by our elected officials have diverged from the
: party's ideological pillars. So, I fully appreciate the
: problems that social conservatives and fiscal conservatives
: have had with our party. I know that we must effectively
: communicate with disheartened supporters and communities of
: voters who share our core principles. And I believe that it
: is imperative for the next RNC Chairman to make all members
: of our coalition feel at home in the Republican Party, while
: adding new supporters to the GOP family.
: Michael Steele: Well, as Chairman I would begin by restating:
: We are the Conservative Party of this Great Nation. We value
: life, born and unborn; we value hard work and individual
: initiative; we value service to our nation and to our
: community; but most of all we value the rights of individuals
: to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. As a strong social
: and fiscal conservative, I will continue to embrace -- not
: take advantage of the conservatives of our Party.
: I also recognize that good Republicans can disagree from time
: to time. But the answer to returning to a ruling majority is
: not to abandon our principles or abandon our National
: Republican Platform but to embrace all of it and articulate
: its message in such a manner that we inspire and move a nation
: towards once again embracing conservative Republican
: principals and policies.
: 3. During a Republican presidency, the RNC is in many ways
: an appendage of the White House. Democrats now control the
: elected branches of our federal government.
: As RNC chairman, would you speak out forcefully against White
: House and congressional plans to increase government spending
: and regulations?
: Saul Anuzis: Yes.
: Ken Blackwell: Yes, and I would enjoy every minute of it. I
: would speak out forcefully against tax increases, deficit
: spending and bail-outs of Washington politicians. In Ohio, I
: helped to lead the fight against a tax increase proposed by a
: Republican governor. I will not hesitate to do the same against
: Democrat proposals.
: Katon Dawson: Our Party must renew its commitment to the
: Republican principles of less government spending, lower
: taxes, individual freedom, strong national security, respect
: for the sanctity of life, traditional marriage and the
: importance of family. As RNC chairman I will do exactly that.
: Mike Duncan: Yes. The RNC will be a consistent and
: dependable voice in opposition to any plans to burden the
: American people with increased spending and regulations.
: However, it is not enough for us to be the party of "no." We
: must also recapture our legacy as the party of ideas and of
: liberty.
: When we speak out against something, we must also be able to
: articulate what we are for. Through the Center for Republican
: Renewal, we will offer Americans a clear idea of what the
: specific Republican alternatives would be to the tax, spend
: and regulate plans of the Democrats.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: In this political environment, it is
: essential that the RNC Chairman forcefully underscore the
: party's opposition to expanded government spending and
: excessive regulation. The RNC must work closely with our
: congressional leadership and our state officials to oppose
: the Democrats' inevitable attempts to grow the power of the
: federal government, diminish individual responsibility, and
: pick the nation's economic winners and losers. RNC resources
: - political, communication, research - should be utilized to
: oppose the Democrats' reckless plans. The party should assist
: elected officials in publicizing new conservative ideas coming
: from leading think tanks and scholars. And the party should
: help state officials turn these ideas into successful policy
: initiatives.
: Michael Steele: Key to our Republican ideals is the notion of
: fiscal restraint and limited government. In recent years,
: however, Republicans in leadership have violated these
: principals. Unless we restore our credibility as the Party
: best equipped to reduce spending, constrain government growth,
: and cut taxes, we will continue to lose elections.
: Some have claimed it's not the role of the RNC to determine
: the Republican policy message. They say such things are better
: left to Republican leaders in Congress. I disagree.
: Just a few of the initiatives I will pursue as RNC Chairman
: include: 1. Reestablish the Republican Party as the party of
: fiscal responsibility and limited government; 2. Improve issue
: communications and messaging by fostering collaboration with
: center-right think tanks, voter outreach groups, and media
: outlets who focus on innovative conservative policy ideas;
: 3. Make messaging and policy preparation an integral part of
: a new, more intense approach to training seminars for
: grassroots activists, candidates, and campaign professionals;
: 4. Commission both quantitative and qualitative research to
: identify appropriate methods to present and promote
: conservative Republican principals and ideals, then make those
: research conclusions available to every State and Local
: Republican Party and every Republican candidate; 5. Engage RNC
: members, State and Local Republican volunteer leaders, staff,
: and consultants in an ongoing dialogue about our message;
: 6. Establish partnerships with Republican Governors,
: legislative leaders, and members of Congress to identify
: best practices and innovative strategies that are working in
: the States and implement them nationally.
: 4.Have you read the 2008 Republican National Platform? Do you
: agree with it?
: Saul Anuzis: Yes. Yes.
: Ken Blackwell: Yes and Yes. I served as Vice Chairman of the
: Platform Committee in Minneapolis. I'm very proud of the
: document we adopted.
: Katon Dawson: Yes.
: Mike Duncan: Yes. As Chairman, I could not be more proud of
: the document that was adopted by the Republican National
: Convention in Minneapolis. Our Platform presents our
: conservative vision in a way that is clear, straightforward,
: and concise. We were able to reduce the size of the Platform
: by almost fifty percent. Yet, we also opened the process for
: every American to contribute ideas at www.GOPPlatform2008.com.
: We crafted our platform in front of the media and the entire
: country because, as Republicans, we are proud of who we are
: and what we stand for. I am very excited that our platform
: will serve as the basis for the Center for Republican Renewal,
: which will take the principles of the Platform and develop
: policy ideas and recommendations to provide the American
: people with a conservative alternative to the Democrat
: policies of bigger government and higher taxes.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: I have read and I support the
: Republican National Platform. That said, in my sixteen years
: in politics, I've only agreed with one person 100 percent of
: the time - and that's me. United by our commitment to fiscal
: responsibility, traditional moral values, and a robust
: national defense, our party must be strong enough to welcome
: public servants and voters who have a wide range of priorities
: and perspectives. The United States is a diverse nation of
: over 300 million people. While we cannot expect voters
: supporting Republican candidates to agree with the party
: platform on every issue, we must articulate and abide by the
: central principles of that platform.
: Michael Steele: I have read the Platform. And I strongly agree
: with it and will support it.
: 5. In particular, do you agree with and fully support the 2008
: pro-life plank, which is essentially the same language as was
: in the Platforms of 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004?
: Saul Anuzis: Yes.
: Ken Blackwell: Yes...and I will support keeping the pro-life
: plank in the Republican Party platform in 2012. I support and
: commend the Republican National Coalition for Life for doing
: great work.
: Katon Dawson: Yes.
: Mike Duncan: Yes. I not only support our pro-life plank as
: chairman, but I also support it as an individual. We are and
: will be the party of life.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: Yes, I support the pro-life plank of
: the Republican National Platform. I have a deep and abiding
: respect for the sanctity of human life in all of its form, and
: I have never swayed from this belief during my many years in
: Republican politics.
: Michael Steele: I have always been, and will always be,
: pro-life. I oppose abortion, period. I defended that position
: as Lieutenant Governor and as a candidate for the United States
: Senate in Maryland in 2006. I support the pro-life position
: in the platform and am committed to keeping it.
: 6. The feminists' attack on marriage was one major reason why
: unmarried women voted for Sen. Obama over Sen. McCain by a
: staggering 70% to 29%.
: Do you agree that Republicans must support marriage and cut off
: the many incentives to divorce and unmarried motherhood that
: now exist in federal law and spending?
: Saul Anuzis: I do not support incentives that encourage people
: to divorce or to produce children out of wedlock.
: Ken Blackwell: Yes, I agree. Additionally, I helped to
: successfully lead the fight to amend the Ohio Constitution to
: ban government recognition of same-sex marriages. The Marriage
: Amendment passed with 61% of the vote, despite opposition from
: many of Ohio's leading Republicans.
: Katon Dawson: Yes.
: Mike Duncan: Yes. The Republican Party is the party of strong
: families and government should have no role in incentivizing
: divorce. However, we must not allow ourselves to write off any
: votes, especially those of unmarried women. How we improve
: our communications with unmarried women and other groups of
: voters will be the topic of one of RNC Member-chaired working
: groups that I have proposed. One way to make sure the RNC is
: operating as a Member driven committee is to take advantage of
: the experience and knowledge of our Members.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: I strongly support the essential
: institution of marriage - defined as the union of one man and
: one woman. I will support any initiative to promote, protect,
: and defend the strength and stability of marriage in our
: society.
: Michael Steele: Yes. The Republican Party must not only
: continue to be the party that defends traditional marriage as
: a union between one man and one woman but also advocates for
: government policies (federal, state and local) that encourages
: and promotes marriage and family. About 40% of the children
: born in the U.S. today are born to a one-parent family. That
: number is sadly even higher in minority communities. So when
: you look at the election results for Proposition 8 in
: California, what does that tell you? What steps should our
: Party take to begin to engage those voters who have spoken
: rather clearly about the sanctity of marriage? Moreover, the
: lack of fathers in homes is one major cause of the social and
: moral turmoil confronting our society today. Despite the
: drumbeat to the contrary, our leadership (political and
: legislative) has a responsibility (and an opportunity) to
: advocate on behalf of new incentives to promote traditional
: marriage, adoption, and strong families.
: 7. The New York Times headlined "Goodbye Reagan Democrats."
: Jobs are a major issue for Reagan Democrats, and many jobs
: are rapidly disappearing across America right now.
: What should Republicans do to convince those who have lost
: their jobs or fear they may lose their jobs that Republican
: policies will result in more jobs than Democrat policies?
: Saul Anuzis: We have to explain the principles of the free
: market and better articulate the principles of the opportunity
: society for all. When Ronald Reagan spoke of the American
: dream, he made people believe that it was available to all.
: We must recapture that same spirit.
: Ken Blackwell: Republicans must consistently communicate how
: implementing conservative policies are far better at creating
: jobs, and we can point to history to make our case. The tax
: cuts passed by Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were followed
: by significant eras of job creation and economic growth. Our
: party has been very successful in educating the general public
: and members of the media about the economic benefits of tax
: cuts since Jack Kemp began presenting a new, positive and
: optimistic conservatism during the late '70's. This is one
: thing we've done very well, but we must seek to do even better.
: In addition to touting the economic and employment benefits of
: lower taxes, we must once again begin educating the public
: about the moral superiority of limited government over the
: concept of big government socialism. At some point, it becomes
: morally wrong for government to take too large a percentage of
: a person's income. We can all argue about what that percentage
: is, but we must make the point that big government socialism
: is morally wrong. This is a discussion that we should be having
: on a year-round basis with the American people.
: We should also strongly encourage Republican members of
: Congress to vote against tax increases, deficit spending and
: "bail-outs." We must "un-blur" the lines between Democrats and
: Republicans. When the RNC Chairman advocates one thing on
: national television while a significant number of Republicans
: in federal office are voting the opposite way, the voters think
: that we are inconsistent and lose trust in our party. We need
: to draw a few lines in the sand on fiscal issues -- not only
: because it is right -- but also because it will give us a
: strong electoral advantage.
: Katon Dawson: The Republican Party was once known as the party
: of small business, entrepreneurship and enterprise. That mantle
: was lost when our leaders promoted big government, big spending
: and more mandates and regulation.
: Small business creates more than 80 percent of jobs in America.
: Yet our party spent too much time focusing on federal
: government policy and not enough time focusing on freeing up
: our most productive class -- America's small businessmen and
: women. Hard economic times mean small businesses are being
: squeezed. The easier we can make it for entrepreneurs to do
: what they do best through lower taxes and fewer needless
: regulations the more jobs will be created.
: Mike Duncan: Small businesses continue to be the real driving
: force behind jobs and growth in our nation. As a successful
: small business owner, I personally understand the impact that
: small business can have in communities across our country. We
: must deliver a message that helps Americans understand that
: Democrat policies of taxing and regulating small businesses
: will be job killers and will stifle economic opportunities.
: In addition, our message must specifically address the kitchen
: table concerns and aspirations of middle-class Americans.
: We will present the Republican alternative -- less government
: interference in small businesses, and tax incentives to
: encourage small business creation and growth so that
: individuals have the freedom to accomplish their dreams.
: Through our Center for Republican Renewal, we will propose
: policies that encourage private sector investment and reward
: innovation. We will also recognize that the government cannot
: simply spend its way out of our current economic challenges and
: we will hold our elected leaders accountable for the proposals
: they put forward.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: Surprise, surprise, The New York Times
: is wrong on many levels. While the notion of "Reagan Democrats"
: is largely a phenomenon of a by-gone era, their philosophical
: descendants still support responsible, conservative fiscal
: policies, strong national defense and tough action against
: crime. Many of these voters joined our party, but too many of
: them have become disaffected with the Republican brand. Many
: voters just don't believe Republican fiscal promises given the
: dramatic increase in the size and scope of the federal
: government over the past eight years. Indeed, national exit
: polls this November showed that voters believed Democrats were
: more likely to cut federal spending and to cut their taxes.
: Republicans can win back the modern heirs of Reagan Democrats
: by working against liberal attempts to spend our way out of
: the current crisis and by fighting for lower taxes for all
: Americans.
: Michael Steele: People who have lost their jobs want to know
: how Republican policies will grow the economy and create more
: opportunity.
: The GOP's message of lower taxes, less spending, and a smaller
: government benefits EVERY American, regardless of Party, or
: social status.
: Under my leadership, the RNC will: 1. Always advocate for a
: stronger economy through less waste, lower taxes, and policies
: that promote small business growth; 2. Work closely with
: Republican Governors, state legislatures, and local elected
: officials to aggressively promote innovative and successful
: policy solutions designed to grow the economy and create jobs;
: 3. Partner with right-of-center advocacy groups who promote
: and develop policy ideas based on the principles of fiscal
: responsibility, economic growth, and individual empowerment.
: But most especially I want to take the message across this
: country that we will fight not only for people to get a job
: but to own the business!
: 8. The liberal media are trying to sell two contradictory
: messages about the 2008 elections.
: First, that 52% of the popular vote is an overwhelming mandate
: for Barak Obama to move America massively to the left.
: Second, that the 52% of the vote cast in California for
: Proposition 8, the Marriage Amendment, was such a squeaker that
: the victory has no long-term significance.
: In fact, exit polls on November 4 showed that hispanics and
: blacks in California voted overwhelmingly for Proposition 8.
: This indicates an opening for the Republican Party, which can
: attract large numbers of currently Democratic-leaning
: minorities on social issues which already are high priorities
: for most people who usually vote Republican.
: As RNC chairman, what would you do to take advantage of this
: opening to broaden the base of the Republican Party?
: Saul Anuzis: I believe we need to have a sustained and
: concentrated effort to grow our party among African Americans,
: Latinos and Asian Americans. The Democrats will be under
: enormous pressure to finally deliver on the many hollow
: promises that they have made to minorities. They simply won't.
: This provides our party the opportunity to articulate the
: free-market philosophy that allows anyone to achieve if they
: have the will. We must also seek to find common ground on
: social issues, particularly with minorities with strong
: religious leanings.
: Ken Blackwell: You make an excellent point. Republicans can
: broaden the base without compromising principle. The Republican
: Revolution occurring right now in Louisiana is proof. Governor
: Bobby Jindal and Congressmen-elect Ahn "Joseph" Cao, two young
: Americans of Asian heritage, are both conservatives who won
: difficult races in Democrat strongholds. Louisiana Republicans
: elected three physicians to Congress this year, including two
: conservative freshmen. Louisiana Republicans have given us a
: model on which to build a broad, new Republican majority. But
: their strategy is based on sticking to principle, not
: abandoning it.
: Americans of Hispanic heritage rightly belong in the
: Republican Party because we share so many values. We must build
: relationships in the communities and appeal to them on our
: shared values such as support for our armed forces, social
: issues and economic opportunity. But our strategy to win the
: bulk of the Hispanic vote cannot involve granting amnesty for
: illegal aliens or foregoing our national sovereignty and
: failing to secure our borders.
: Katon Dawson: Hispanics, blacks and other minorities across
: America are natural constituents for the Republican Party. Many
: are socially conservative, as illustrated by the California
: Proposition 8 exit polls. This is a little-noticed but welcome
: opening for our message.
: America's motto is "E Pluribus Unum" - out of many, one.
: Republicans have always been proud of the varied peoples who
: contributed to America's success. Make no mistake:
: President-elect Obama's victory was historic, but there are
: many Americans from many different races who profoundly
: disagree with him and the Democrats on important issues. We
: must redouble our efforts to welcome minorities to the
: Republican Party by demonstrating our commitment to personal
: freedom and the conservative ideals of faith, family and
: free-enterprise that are the foundation of our party and which
: unite us as Americans.
: In my home state, we have made outreach to non-traditional
: Republican voters a top priority. Those initiatives have paid
: off with historic electoral success. In 2004, Republicans in
: South Carolina elected the first Indian-American Republican
: legislator in the country when the voters of State House
: District 87 sent Nikki Haley to represent them in the General
: Assembly. But it didn't stop there. This past May, Glenn McCall
: was the first African-American from South Carolina to be
: elected to serve on the Republican National Committee. And on
: November 4, 2008, Tim Scott became the first African-American
: Republican elected to the South Carolina General Assembly
: since Reconstruction. Haley, McCall and Scott are compelling
: conservative candidates with broad crossover appeal who walk
: the walk and talk the talk.
: In the past century, people from Germany, Ireland, Italy and
: Western Europe came here to build a new life, live by our laws
: and receive the bounty and blessings America had to offer.
: Today, Hispanics, Asians and others come here to contribute to
: America's success. The same rules should apply now as did in
: our past: obey our immigration laws, support yourself and
: family, contribute to your community and serve your country.
: Today, Hispanics represent the fastest-growing and largest
: minority group in the country. In 2004, 44 percent of
: Hispanics voted for President Bush, but in 2008 only 31 percent
: voted for John McCain. Similarly, we lost nearly 10 points
: among Asian-Americans between 2004 and 2008. Meanwhile, young
: voters 18 to 29 voted for Obama by a margin of 2-to-1. Our
: Republican message of entrepreneurship, individual rights and
: conservative values was not properly articulated to Hispanics
: and Asians. Their values of hard work, sacrifice and admiration
: for our military are our values. We must work reach these new
: voters by communicating our principles instead of promoting
: dependence on government which will destroy their American
: dream.
: Mike Duncan: As Chairman, I will make sure that the
: Republican Party will be speaking with all audiences to share
: our conservative message. These shared values create the entry
: point to begin a broader dialogue about social and economic
: conservative values. For example, the key to success for
: minority-owned small businesses is to make sure the Government
: does not stifle their success with high taxes and unnecessary
: regulations. Our common beliefs in family and social values,
: in the role of faith and the importance of life, and in the
: fundamental basis of liberty that created our nation create an
: opportunity for the Republican Party to attract traditional
: Democrat-leaning minority groups.
: In every state, we need RNC Members to help focus outreach
: efforts of the RNC Speakers Bureau by recommending speaking
: opportunities for surrogates or by stepping in as a surrogate
: themselves. Our Center for Republican Renewal will be critical
: to this effort as it will collect data and develop the right
: conservative message to share with different audiences across
: the country. Armed with the facts, our Members and other
: surrogates can share the natural alliances that exist between
: certain demographic groups and the Republican Party.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: The liberal media always wants to have
: it both ways, as long as both ways damage Republicans. The
: fact is that Hispanics, African-Americans, Asian and Jewish
: voters and many other minorities have ideological bonds with
: Republicans but have often felt uncomfortable within the
: confines of our party. Protecting marriage between one man and
: one woman is but one example. Strong support of Israel by
: Republican officials is another. Party leaders must
: effectively communicate with and sincerely listen to these
: groups. By action and deed, we must convince minority voters
: to trust the Republican Party again. We must take the
: members-only sign off the clubhouse door and throw out the
: welcome mat. The party of Abraham Lincoln can do no less.
: Michael Steele: First, conservatives must act in a genuine way
: to demonstrate the truth of America: that every American
: regardless his or her station in life, upbringing or social
: status has the opportunity to turn their hopes into action and
: to realize the promise that is the American dream! Second,
: conservatives must act to demonstrate the truth of the
: Republican Party: that as the party of Lincoln stood with those
: whose hands and feet were shackled over a century ago, today we
: will stand with those who are shackled by the soft bigotry of
: low expectations in education, the de-humanizing effects of
: addiction and poverty and the hopelessness of lost opportunity
: at the hands of an opportunistic government. In other words, we
: must demonstrate that we are prepared to move outside our
: comfort zone.
: As a conservative, I have served our party as a County Chairman
: in an overwhelmingly African American community
: (registration 5-1). I know how African Americans and other
: minorities view the Republican Party and I have proven I know
: how to engage the dialogue necessary to reestablish trust and
: support for our candidates and our party as a whole.
: I am convinced our messages on traditional values and economic
: growth resonate with Asian, Hispanic, and African-American
: voters. Now the challenge and opportunity will be developing
: new strategies to communicate those messages. Presenting new
: solutions, new faces, new ways in which the GOP is seen to be
: relevant to the debate of ideas and in fact has ideas to share
: will work to restore voter confidence in our leadership.
: Under my leadership, the RNC will conduct an aggressive effort
: to attract ethnic voters in a variety of ways including:
: 1. build coalitions and create a full-time grassroots presence
: in their communities -- not just at election time; 2. deliver a
: message centered on family, traditional marriage, choice and
: accountability in education; share strategies for creating a
: stronger economy that will produce more high-paying jobs; and
: 3. Recruit candidates for every office who reflect the
: demographic and ethnic makeup of the communities in which they
: are running.
: 9. On which issues do you believe the Republican Party should
: be most attractive to the growing number of Americans of Asian
: descent?
: Saul Anuzis: Most Asian Americans place great importance on
: family, so we can certainly find common ground on issues that
: strengthen the family. In addition, they are culturally
: inclined to seek opportunity and to believe in personal
: responsibility. Conservative economic policies should appeal
: to them if they are communicated effectively.
: Ken Blackwell: Freedom and opportunity. Many Asian Americans
: or their ancestors have lived under communist rule or near a
: communist country. They are acquainted with the lack of
: personal freedom and economic opportunity in China, Vietnam
: and North Korea. We must convey that we are the party of
: maximum freedom, including religious freedom. But in the end,
: I believe that all Americans, regardless of heritage, are
: searching for basically the same things. We just have a head
: start getting our message out in some sectors and need to make
: more progress in the others.
: A disproportionately high number of Asian-Americans own small
: businesses, yet many vote Democrat thereby harming their own
: interests. We must effectively relate to this community that
: Democrats are the party of higher taxes and unnecessary,
: burdensome regulation, while Republicans support and encourage
: their achieving the American Dream. Two things will help us do
: that effectively:
: 1. Get tough on taxes. Fight for the taxpayer by challenging
: every attempt by the Obama Administration to raise taxes and
: send a consistent and practical message to the American people
: explaining why such policies damage an already weak economy.
: 2. Send effective Asian-American surrogates like Gov. Jindal
: and Rep.-elect Cao across the country to meet with
: Asian-American leaders and conduct a press offensive in Asian
: American media, via print, television and online publications.
: Katon Dawson: We should be stressing to these voters our
: party's principles of hard work, sacrifice, respect for
: religion and admiration for our military. Many Asian-Americans
: are entrepreneurs. Others are successful professionals. To both
: of those groups, our message of entrepreneurship, support for
: personal freedom and defense of conservative values should be
: naturally appealing.
: Mike Duncan: I believe that Republican policies are attractive
: to all individuals who come from a culture of hard work and
: personal achievement. Our belief and promotion of a culture of
: individual responsibility, personal freedom, strong families,
: and reaping the rewards of personal initiative should be
: attractive to people of Asian descent and other minority
: populations in our country. The Republican Party must always
: be the party that defends freedom and promotes liberty.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: I firmly believe that our party's
: commitment to fiscal responsibility, traditional moral values,
: a robust national defense and a color-blind society have
: tremendous appeal for all racial and ethnic groups in American
: life. And I believe that Asian Americans value honest dialogue
: over narrow pandering and equal opportunity over preferences.
: The election last week of Anh "Joseph" Quang Cao to Congress
: from Louisiana is a perfect example of the kind of candidate
: Republicans can offer the country. Born in Saigon as the fifth
: of eight children, Joseph grew up in Vietnam during the most
: turbulent years of the Vietnamese Civil War. He remembers bombs
: exploding next to his elementary school. His story is the
: quintessential tale of the American - and Republican - spirit:
: an immigrant who learned English, volunteered to assist the
: poor, received an education, married, raised a family, and
: became active in his church. Attracted to Republican
: principles of hard work and individual freedom, Joseph was soon
: elected to the Republican Parish Executive Committee and the
: State Republican Executive Committee. In 2008, Joseph was
: elected as an at-large delegate to the Republican National
: Convention and in early 2009 we can be proud to call him
: "Congressman."
: Michael Steele: I believe that Asian Americans are especially
: appreciative of our country's freedoms and the Republicans
: Party's commitment to protecting our individual liberties. Many
: Asian Americans have experienced dictatorships and
: totalitarianism. They welcome the opportunity to reap economic
: rewards from our capitalist system and value America's
: entrepreneurial spirit. But, our mistake in the past has been
: believing we have to "change our message" to suit a particular
: group. As Chairman, my job is to deliver a consistent message on
: the positions of our Party as defined by the Republican
: platform on our commitment to life, emphasis on marriage and
: family, and quality educational choices for their children;
: wealth creation and entrepreneurism; the limited role of
: government in their lives and the opportunity to realize the
: American Dream for their families. This is the message of our
: Party. We all share the same concerns about our families, jobs
: and schools; about the safety of our neighborhoods and about
: the values we wish to impart to our children. I am convinced
: this message resonates across ethnic lines and will draw
: diverse communities to give us another look.
: 10. It appears that left-wing organizations, Democratic Party
: organizations, and Democrat candidates worked closely together
: to produce their victories in 2008.
: As RNC chairman, what would you do to work more closely with
: the many, large, effective conservative organizations which
: could work more effectively with Republicans in the future?
: Saul Anuzis: I have consistently participated in groups as
: ACU, ATR, CPAC, NRA, RTL and others. We need to not only
: expect their support, but also understand their needs. We
: cannot simply offer lip service; we must consider their members
: a resource and must pay attention to their concerns. It has to
: be a two-way street.
: Ken Blackwell: Within what is allowed by federal law, I would
: throw open the doors at the RNC to invite participation and
: cooperation from the dozens of like-minded groups that are so
: successful and effective across our country. I have not seen
: past RNC leaders work closely with these valuable allies. I
: serve on the boards of directors for the National Rifle
: Association, the National Taxpayers Union and the Club for
: Growth.
: Further, I will sponsor a one-day retreat just outside of
: Washington and ask the heads of the major conservative groups
: to join me to discuss the future of our movement. We must have
: an on-going conversation among policy makers, conservative
: think-tanks, and all who operate in the political world.
: Opening the lines of communication again will be incredibly
: beneficial to our party and our movement.
: Katon Dawson: Clearly, one of the keys to building a lasting
: Republican majority at the federal, state and local levels is
: uniting the various groups and organizations that believe in
: Republican principles of lower taxes, less regulation and
: government spending, individual freedom, strong national
: security, respect for the sanctity of life and traditional
: family values into a coalition for electoral success. That will
: be my goal as RNC chairman. The louder our voice for
: communicating our principles to voters, the better.
: Mike Duncan: During my past two years as RNC chairman, I have
: done as much as I am legally able to do to work with such
: organizations. My belief that we should be allowed to do more
: is one of the main reasons I have instructed the RNC to file a
: legal challenge to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002.
: We must fight against an unconstitutional law that ties our
: hands in regard to working with our natural allies, and I am
: committed to making that principle a reality.
: To the extent permissible by law, I will regularly convene
: working groups to promote specific grassroots advocacy on a
: wide range of public policy issues, including opposition to
: "card-check" legislation and the "fairness doctrine."
: John "Chip" Saltsman: For too long, the Republican National
: Committee has been run from the top down, rather than empowered
: from the ground up. As RNC Chairman, I will work with all
: effective grassroots organizations that share our conservative
: beliefs and offer them a seat at the table and a voice within
: our party. I will also try to work closely with
: conservative-leaning think tanks and scholars to help reshape
: GOP policy offerings. By working with congressional leaders,
: state officials, conservative groups, think tanks and others,
: I believe the new RNC Chairman can reinvigorate the party's
: policy prescriptions and appeal to a greater number of voters.
: Michael Steele: If we are to regain the mantle of competence
: and innovation we lost in recent years, we must do so by
: becoming the party of ideas. But that's not enough. We must
: build alliances with and motivate blocks of voters and
: activists who share our ideas. In recent years, we haven't
: done a very good job of that. McCain-Feingold hurt us far more
: than it did the Democrats in this regard. That -- and because
: I believe it violates important safeguards of free-speech -- is
: why I opposed McCain-Feingold and will continue to do so.
: Generally, there are three broad categories of organizations
: or groups we need to do a much better job coordinating with.
: 1. Those natural allied coalition groups based on specific
: issues that fall under the rubric of Republican principle (NRA,
: ATR, RTL, etc.); 2. Center-Right think-tank and advocacy
: groups which devise specific proposals on a wide array of
: contemporary policy concerns and/or educate and motivate public
: action around those proposals; and 3. Republican-affiliated
: candidates, office-holders, caucuses and organizations such as
: College and Young Republicans, and the NFRW.
: We should work closely with these groups to help devise and
: promote free-market, pro-family ideas and initiatives. We need
: to be fully committed to compete for every vote, in every
: election, for every office, in every state.
: We must also do a better job working with right-of-center media
: outlets -- embracing internet based media sources in particular.
: As Chairman, I will create a task force made up of members of
: the policy, grassroots, communications, and coalition divisions
: of the RNC to work with these groups and media outlets. We will
: find ways to create stronger connections using the highest
: technology and online networking as well as good old fashioned
: face-to-face collaboration.
: 11. Do you think it is possible to strengthen the Republican
: coalition we have while expanding it? If so, what specific
: steps should Republicans take to achieve simultaneously both of
: these desirable goals?
: Saul Anuzis: Yes. The most critical action item is to more
: effectively communicate with young people. We cannot lose the
: 18-35 demographic by 3 to 1 and ever expect to be a majority
: party again. We must better understand the needs of young
: people; better communicate our philosophy; find leaders that
: speak to them effectively and use the tools that they use for
: communicating. As one of the younger state chairman, I have
: made this a priority. I have a strong relationship with the
: young activists in my state and believe we need to expand
: beyond just CRs to other college students and young
: professionals. I have also made it a top priority to use
: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other tools that are the medium
: of choice for younger Americans.
: Ken Blackwell: As stated earlier, we must have a clear,
: concise, positive and practical message that reaches the voters
: on a consistent basis. More specifically and in addition to
: that, we must better utilize targeted media and developing
: technology to reach various demographic groups with messages
: on issues that are most important to them. These opportunities
: increase over time as cable television, radio, the Internet,
: etc. provide additional targeting opportunities.
: Second, I refer again to my answer above concerning the
: creativity of Louisiana Republican leaders in running Americans
: of various ethnic backgrounds in tough elections and in
: promoting medical doctors for major offices. All of these
: individuals are staunch conservatives who won difficult
: campaigns. We must run candidates with integrity and character
: that fit the district, which includes those with more diverse
: backgrounds and occupations and with whom people identify.
: Third, in addition to trying to appeal to swing voters, we
: should be registering new Republicans. We can greatly expand
: our universe by registering conservatives who will be reliable
: voters for many years.
: Katon Dawson: I believe for Republicans to be a majority party
: we must grow our party. But that should never mean compromising
: our principles for the sake of politics. Frankly, that's one
: of the primary reasons behind our defeat at the ballot box this
: year. In recent years our party lost its way. We lost our core
: identity. We became the party of Washington instead of the party
: of Middle America. For example, we were once known as the party
: of lower taxes and less government, but recently we turned on
: the spigot of government spending. I believe by renewing our
: commitment to our core beliefs and principles -- and standing
: by them -- we'll expand our party in the process.
: Mike Duncan: I believe it is not only possible, but a
: necessity. As a delegate for Ronald Reagan in 1976, I saw
: first-hand how Reagan built the Party by strengthening our base
: while reaching out to conservative-leaning independents and
: Democrats. I am committed to working with RNC Members to
: ensure that the RNC returns to the basics of the Republican
: Party and our conservative values. Doing so will strengthen
: our conservative coalition, and will also create opportunities
: to expand our reach as a party. Part of our focus on core
: conservative values must show how the American people can use
: those values to create solutions to the problems that they face
: on a day-to-day basis. When we use conservative values to
: propose solutions, we again become the "party of ideas." The
: Center for Republican Renewal will be a big part of this
: resurgence as will the Speakers Bureau, but more important will
: be the participation of RNC Members in our Working Groups.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: All energetic, effective political
: parties require strength and expansion. I believe the Republican
: Party is no different. We can simultaneously strengthen and grow,
: but only if we wholeheartedly embrace a positive, attractive,
: principled message that is disseminated by effective and
: original use of technology. We have the potential to build a
: diverse array of vibrant online communities by transforming our
: websites into hubs worthy of the fervent political dedication
: of our online supporters. To achieve this goal, we must link
: Internet users to social networks and blogs of all sizes, and
: we must be willing to value openness, debate and innovation as
: much as message control.
: Michael Steele: A bold approach to how we communicate and what
: we communicate offers our best opportunity to strengthen and at
: the same time expand our existing Republican coalitions.
: I'm convinced that on just about any issue today, Republicans
: have the answer the American people want to hear. Whether on
: health care, energy, jobs, education, national security, and
: more, we can bring our principles to bear for a solution that
: is not only innovative but will be viewed as a popular and
: effective solution that contrasts aggressively against the
: Democrat answer.
: We must also transform the way we communicate, organize, and
: raise funds on behalf of our existing coalitions by leveraging
: technology and embracing innovation. It is possible to
: implement such efforts while holding true to our Republican
: ideals.
: As Chairman, I will: 1. Work more closely with the best
: right-of-center think tanks and organizations to help identify
: policy solutions that will resonate with the American People;
: 2. Partner with Republican Governors, legislators, and members
: of Congress to identify innovative best practices in the states
: and implement them nationally; 3. Communicate more effectively
: and forcefully those Republican ideas fully utilizing all types
: of media outlets, internet communications, and candidate
: training vehicles, etc. 4. Work with state parties to recruit
: candidates on every level, then train those candidates and
: provide them the resources and information they need, to win
: elections in every community in the country; 5. Also work with
: state and local parties to build a grassroots movement in every
: city, town, and community in America.
: 12. Unless Republicans can match the enormously increased
: fundraising of the Democrats and their allied left-wing
: organizations, it's difficult to see how we can begin again to
: win most elections.
: As RNC chairman, what would you do to increase dramatically
: the fundraising capability of the Republican Party and the
: conservative organizations generally allied with it?
: Saul Anuzis: This is a constant challenge that will be even
: harder without a sitting president and diminished legislative
: power. I believe we need to both increase our major-donor and
: direct-mail efforts based on various philosophical
: opportunities. Again, by better articulating ideas and
: utilizing numerous celebrity spokespersons - instead of just
: one - we can expand our range. Additionally, we need to
: identify new leaders in the post Bush era that believe in our
: ideas and find new ways to get them involved. We must also
: take full of all the technological tools that are available to
: us. Let's not forget, Barack Obama used the Internet to
: create a "virtual ATM" and we cannot let the Democrats dominate
: on that front.
: Ken Blackwell: The most important thing we can do to increase
: fundraising is to inspire our lower dollar donors again by
: restoring the people's trust in the Republican Party as the
: principled, conservative party and drawing the sharp contrast
: with liberal, dangerous Democrats. Because we will not have a
: Republican President to assist in fundraising, it will be very
: difficult to dramatically increase fundraising until our base
: has been inspired and the trust restored.
: We will continue and expand upon the direct mail system that
: conservatives mastered in the 1980's and that continues to be
: an advantage for our party today.
: Most importantly, once our base is inspired, we will implement
: a fundraising strategy that will motivate online conservative
: donors in much the same way Obama motivated liberals this year.
: For too long our party and the conservative movement's web
: strategy has been strictly email and banner ad based. Our
: party's failure to keep up with the Democrats in terms of
: technology is the most under-discussed failure of the past
: 30 years. The advantages that we have held in talk radio and in
: direct mail have been surpassed by an exponentially stronger
: advantage for the Democrats in the most dominant medium of our
: time -- the Internet. You teach at the Leadership Institute
: that when one party or another dominates a specific technology
: it is an advantage that is often insurmountable. Until we catch
: up with the Democrats on the web, we are at a tremendous and
: dangerous disadvantage.
: We must immediately create an environment where our supporters
: go to the web to actively participate in conservative
: discussion, upload videos, complete important tasks, and feel
: like a part of our movement, party and campaigns.
: We must encourage our donors to support online media
: organizations that will discuss information that the
: mainstream media refuses to cover.
: We must build a tiered online donor recruitment effort and
: community like those proposed by Steve Forbes in the 2000
: presidential campaign and implemented successfully by Obama
: in 2008.
: I will personally call and visit our major donors and
: fundraisers across America to present our plan for resurgence
: and to personally appeal for them to become reengaged.
: Katon Dawson: Republicans have been successful at attracting
: contributions from big donors over the years. We must continue
: to do so, but to compete without public financing we also have
: to connect with more voters and increase our small-donor
: fundraising efforts. My Operation eGOP plan will seek to
: recruit 5 million new online activists with the potential to
: significantly increase our small donor fundraising.
: Also, the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law has hamstrung
: our Party's ability to campaign effectively. The political
: party committee is playing second fiddle to independent
: expenditure organizations with no accountability. What did we
: get for the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bargain?
: Barack Obama rejected public financing and raised over
: $600 million dollars. John McCain accepted $85 million dollars
: in public funding and received additional funding by the RNC,
: but we didn't come close to parity with Barack Obama. Some
: reports indicate that John McCain was outspent by over
: $100 million dollars in the final month of the campaign. The
: RNC must actively use its legal talent to craft challenges to
: McCain-Feingold. Working together with Republican leaders in
: Congress, we must make repealing McCain-Feingold a priority.
: Mike Duncan: I am proud of the fact that despite the legal
: limitations we are forced to observe, we raised more money in
: the past cycle than has been raised in any two-year period in
: the RNC's history. This was done despite the unconstitutional
: constraints of BCRA. Moving forward, I have proposed a
: fundraising plan for the RNC that will continue to leverage new
: media opportunities to raise funds. This fundraising proposal
: will double the effort to increase our online fundraising base.
: We made significant progress over the past two years, where
: online fundraising accounted for 10% of the RNC's operating
: budget, but more work is needed.
: As I shared earlier, I have also directed the RNC staff to file
: legal challenges to BCRA in Federal Court. The bottom line is
: that BCRA constraints limit the RNC to only being a federal
: party, and prevent the RNC from being a truly national party.
: For example, the RNC is extremely limited in the amount of
: fundraising coordination that can occur with allied
: conservative organizations. While the RNC will continue to
: work with conservative organizations to the extend permissible
: by law, a successful BCRA challenge will open the opportunity
: for the RNC to again become a national party and work with
: other organizations to maximize support for the
: Republican/conservative cause.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: Despite the RNC's largely successful
: efforts over the past two years, fundraising will be a challenge
: next year. The weak economy and some of our party's outmoded
: methods will impact the RNC's receipts. Indeed, Republicans are
: dangerously dependent on direct mail fundraising, with its high
: costs. The tough fundraising environment will force us to
: prospect more heavily, leading to larger net losses and
: shrinking net margins. The amounts collected from major donors
: will undoubtedly shrink as the economy contracts. So, as RNC
: Chairman, I will assemble the GOP's top fundraisers and create
: a new national strategy. I will implement a "180 Day Challenge"
: to turn our efforts around 180?. Then we will jump immediately
: into action. We will work to unite top party figures and set up
: regional fundraising events in conjunction with state parties.
: As a two-time Pioneer, I believe that my experience fundraising
: will be an important asset as Chairman of our party. In this
: environment, experience, energy, enthusiasm and creativity all
: will be necessary to remain financially competitive with the
: Democrats.
: Michael Steele: Our Party raises more money than the Democrats
: when we can prove to donors that their money will help
: candidates win and the GOP message succeed. Unfortunately, the
: RNC has not inspired a lot of confidence in our donors lately,
: and they have not felt compelled to give to what they consider
: to be a losing cause. We have to do a much better job of
: talking with not just at our donors.
: I believe that tactically the future of fundraising lies in the
: creation of a vast army of online contributors who give small
: amounts multiple times. Net dollars to the RNC will increase
: substantially if we can convince donors who give through our
: direct mail programs to instead give online. And cash-flow
: problems can be solved if we move regular donors into a small
: recurring commitment billed directly to their credit card or
: checking account each month. This, in my belief, is an
: important part of the way forward. Online giving is secure,
: cheap, instant, and effective.
: As Chairman, I will fulfill and enhance my responsibilities
: associated with the RNC's high-dollar fundraising and giving
: programs I realize we can't rely entirely on online giving.
: But we must fully develop our opportunity there by placing a
: much higher priority on it. That's why it's my goal to recruit
: at least 250,000 donors from our current list of 1.9 million to
: contribute to the RNC online, and at least another
: 100,000 donors to commit to a small, recurring monthly
: contribution.
: 13. We can expect the Obama Administration and the
: Democrat-controlled Congress to use their power to pour
: taxpayer funds into the coffers of left-wing groups which
: support them politically and to try to use government power
: to weaken or cripple conservative groups which tend to support
: Republicans.
: As RNC chairman, would you be a leader against government
: funding of politically active groups and a leader in defense
: of legitimate conservative groups targeted for attack by
: President Obama and his allies who control the Congress?
: Saul Anuzis: Yes.
: Ken Blackwell: Unfortunately, some Republicans believe that
: ACORN in 2008 was the first time that government funds have
: been used against us in such a direct manner. However, young
: conservatives have been fighting groups like Ralph Nader's
: Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) on campus for decades. On
: our college campuses today, liberals pass tax increases on
: students in the form of student fees that then are used to
: fund liberal activities. Some College Republican and Campus
: Leadership Program groups have successfully defeated these
: efforts. We must help educate conservatives to successfully
: fight such efforts at all levels.
: Moreover, it is absolutely the job of the RNC Chairman to stand
: up against the use of public funds for liberal political
: purposes, and I will lead in taking on these efforts with a
: vigor similar to that which has been so admirably shown by Tom
: Coburn, Mark Sanford, and Jeff Flake on the issue of earmarks.
: Katon Dawson: Yes.
: Mike Duncan: Absolutely. In 2008, the RNC was the leading
: voice against government funding of ACORN, and exposed it for
: the politically-motivated organization that it is. We worked
: closely with Republican Leadership in the House and Senate to
: highlight ACORN funding in any legislation moving through the
: Congress. Our scrutiny prevented ACORN from reaping any
: benefits of the housing bail-out, and will aggressively fight
: similar battles every time it is necessary to do so.
: In addition, we will not stand by should Democrats unfairly
: target conservative groups with legislation. We know that
: Democrats and their liberal allies intend to introduce the
: so-called "fairness doctrine" as a blatant attack on
: conservative talk radio. As Chairman, I will work with House
: and Senate Republican Leadership to ensure that this and other
: attacks on legitimate conservative organizations will not be
: tolerated.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: Unchallenged, liberals in the federal
: government - led by the troika of Barack Obama, Harry Reid and
: Nancy Pelosi - will target legitimate conservative
: organizations while freely funding groups like ACORN and its
: systematic voter fraud. As RNC Chairman, I will fight them
: every step of the way. I will also work to end the travesty
: of McCain-Feingold "campaign finance reform," which compounds
: the problem of money in politics, hampers our party's ability
: to effectively function, and unconstitutionally abridges the
: First Amendment's guarantee of free political speech.
: Michael Steele: The Democrats can indeed be expected to use
: the levers of government and government funding to support
: their various political allies from labor unions to community
: activist organizations, from radical environmentalists to
: left-wing social-issue organizations and everything in between.
: The RNC must serve as a watchdog against such government
: sponsorship and a defender of conservative groups the leftists
: will inevitably target for extinction. It is the role of our
: Chairman to actively speak out against these unfair and
: unethical practices in every instance.
: 14. Exit polls show that students and other young voters voted
: about two to one for Barak Obama. In part this was because
: leftist groups and Democrats spent huge sums of money
: identifying and organizing college students in 2008.
: Many studies have shown that, when young people start off in
: politics with a political party, they tend to favor that party
: for the rest of their lives.
: Years ago, for legal reasons, the RNC stopped providing direct
: financial assistance to the College Republicans, and very few
: Republican campaigns invest in mass-based youth efforts.
: Yet decades of experience show that large numbers of college
: students can be identified, organized, and activated in
: Republican campaigns where someone talented and skilled is
: provided the resources to do so.
: As RNC chairman, what would you do to make sure College
: Republican field work is generously funded and to make sure
: that future Republican campaigns devote the time, talent, and
: money necessary to recruit large numbers of college students
: into Republican activity?
: Saul Anuzis: I have consistently encouraged both College
: Republican and Teenage Republicans in the process. We have
: organized campaign school, assisted in bringing students to
: CPAC, etc. I believe expanding our ranks among young voters
: needs to be a top priority. However, this work cannot be left
: only to the College Republicans. Every program in our party
: needs to look for ways to reach out to young people. If we
: are going to be the party of the future, everyone needs to
: make young people a priority.
: Ken Blackwell: College Republicans is the most important
: recruitment organization of new people into our party and
: volunteers for our candidates. It is true that people who
: commit to a political party while in college are likely to
: stay with that party throughout their life. It is a terrible
: shame that the College Republicans are no longer working in
: coordination with our party and our candidates because of
: their legal structure. I would work within the law to change
: that immediately.
: I would encourage the College Republican National Committee to
: re-organize itself either as a party organization or a
: political action committee with the FEC or in a state with
: favorable political organization laws. Just as Mitt Romney
: successfully utilized State PAC's in his efforts to help elect
: Republicans in 2006, the CRNC could similarly organize itself
: as a state or federal level political or party committee. This
: would allow the Republican National Committee and Republican
: candidates to once again coordinate their activities with the
: national and local College Republican organizations.
: Once they are re-organized in a manner that satisfies all
: legal requirements, I would implement full funding for a
: national field program of well-trained College Republicans to
: storm campuses in all 50 states. They would implement a
: national field recruitment program in the fall and an
: aggressive training program in the spring for young
: conservatives. I would not micro-manage this program, but I
: would make it clear that significant RNC funding would be
: immediately available for such a program.
: Katon Dawson: We cannot limit our ramped-up outreach to
: minorities alone. In order for our party to thrive in the
: future, we need to court young voters. In addition to
: persuading donors to generously fund College Republican
: programs on promising campuses, we need to revamp our outreach
: to mesh with the online networking systems that are integral
: parts of how younger Americans interact. Once campaigns see
: the demonstrated effectiveness of such an online system a
: system that Democrats have down to a science, making it easy
: for young people to be active in the party campaigns will
: devote the necessary time, energy and money into recruiting
: the youth vote. The RNC needs a robust and open social network
: that allows young Republicans, as well as other activists, to
: network and share ideas to make them more effective advocates
: for our party. The network should allow activists and users
: to create their own applications to improve and expand the
: network. Regional eCampaign Directors will be responsible for
: the growth of the network and coordinating the social network
: with large-scale RNC projects, such as voter registration,
: early/absentee voting, fundraising, candidate
: recruitment/vetting and driving home RNC message/communications
: initiatives.
: Mike Duncan: As you note in your question, the legal
: constraints of BCRA prevent the RNC from coordinating with
: or funding College Republicans, as CRs are a 527 organization.
: The constraints are so egregious that the RNC cannot even
: provide any direction to CRs about strategy, fundraising, and
: outreach efforts. Our successful challenge to BCRA will allow
: the RNC to again provide the leadership and guidance to CRs,
: Young Republicans and other organizations that can maximize
: the youth vote for Republican candidates.
: As Chairman, I have visited many college campuses and met with
: CR chapters across the country and I will continue to do so. I
: am committed to opening our training colleges at the RNC to CRs
: and other qualified college students. Finally, we will continue
: to work with CRs and organizations such as the Leadership
: Institute to recruit political field staff for campaigns.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: Young and college-aged Republicans
: aren't the future of our party... they are the very heart and
: soul of the present party - and they must become an
: increasingly integral part of every Republican campaign from
: city council to the presidency. As RNC Chairman, I will devote
: substantial time and energy to engage these young activists,
: particularly through the development of vibrant, open and
: exciting online communities. But Republicans misjudge 2008 if
: we simply chalk up Democrat successes to money and technology.
: Democrats motivated young people by offering a positive,
: youthful, attractive candidate and a coherent message. Let's
: not forget that in 1984, Ronald Reagan won 18-24 year old
: voters by a margin of 61-39 and 25-29 year old voters by
: 14 percentage points. Without a message and the candidates to
: deliver that message, Republicans will continue to trail
: Democrats in appealing to younger voters among others.
: Michael Steele: The College Republican National Committee is
: a vast and un-tapped resource. Sadly, they are used for
: Volunteer Deployment and not much more. This must change. Not
: only are CR's the future of our party, they are the current
: foot-soldiers and leaders of our Party and we must keep them
: mobilized and engaged.
: I'm committed to reviving the youth efforts that helped to
: elect Ronald Reagan. Because the CRNC exists as a 527 political
: organization, current law constrains the RNC's ability to fund
: them directly. Nevertheless, I will do everything I can within
: the parameters of the law to keep them engaged, well-trained,
: and well-funded. The College Republicans were my biggest
: grassroots asset as County Chairman, State Chairman and
: certainly in my campaigns for Lt. Governor and the U.S. Senate.
: I have had the privilege of addressing CR groups across the
: Country and have been so proud of the contributions they
: continue to give. They effectively raise money, actively
: recruit members on campuses all across our Country and provide
: local volunteers for party-building and winning campaigns -- a
: gift that will keep on giving for the future success of our
: party.
: One of my first actions as Prince George's County Chairman, was
: to contact the CR chapter at University of Maryland so that I
: could get them involved in Party activities and get their input
: and support. I will lead by example in visiting college
: campuses, including historically black colleges, and urging
: state and local Republican leaders to do likewise. We will
: provide funding for state party efforts, including staff, aimed
: at enhancing student recruitment and integrating student
: volunteers into Republican campaigns up and down the ticket.
: We will: 1. Create online opportunities for social networking
: among college campuses; 2. Provide funding for state party
: efforts, including staff, aimed at student recruitment; 3. Work
: hard to integrate student volunteers and other young people into
: Republican campaigns up and down the ticket; and, 4. Make
: college campuses and other youth-oriented venues hotbeds for
: volunteer recruitment, professional campaign training messaging.
: 15. In addition to vigorously expanding the Republican presence
: on college campuses, what must be done to give the Republican
: Party credibility with young people as a desirable alternative
: to Obama and the Democratic Congress? How would you build us as
: a party to which young people can relate personally?
: Saul Anuzis: Much of this will depend on our national
: candidates and leaders. We can build a base of supporters based
: on philosophy, but attracting a "movement" will often be based
: around a candidate. That said we must do more on college
: campuses to fight for conservative ideas. This means
: challenging liberal professors, supporting our youth
: organizations when they stand up against liberal thinking, and
: speaking to young people where they live: on Facebook, Twitter,
: YouTube, etc. We must showcase our ideas in these forums. I
: also will implement a 60 under 40 program every year that allows
: each state and territory to send at least one person under 40 to
: Washington for leadership, fundraising and communication
: training in the hopes of creating a "farm team" of leaders all
: across the country that can step up and lead our party down the
: road.
: Ken Blackwell: We must stand for something in order to
: successfully recruit college students into our party. We need
: to re-establish our brand and reach out in ways that appeal to
: young people. We can do that by drawing sharp contrasts with
: the failures of liberalism while presenting a message of hope
: and optimism to those that are open to a conservative message.
: * With Barack Obama as President we can make a strong argument
: on college campuses that racial preferences are wrong. We can
: win that argument in the hearts and minds of students who are
: at least minimally open to a conservative message. I would
: implement a national debate over preferences and have it begin
: with conservatives on college campuses.
: * I would take a strong public stand against increased
: government spending and make it clear to young people that the
: politicians in Washington DC are mortgaging their future.
: Katon Dawson: I don't believe the core values of the
: Republican Party are age specific. Our Party's principles of
: self-reliance, hard work, personal freedom and traditional
: family values can certainly resonate among young Americans
: today.
: The problem isn't that they don't know what we stand for. The
: problem is that they aren't hearing our message. We must return
: to these core values, and we must use the modern social
: networking tools that exist today to communicate those values
: to them. My Operation eGOP campaign intends to do just that.
: Mike Duncan: First, the Center for Republican Renewal will
: include a major outreach to young voters, making sure that they
: feel invested in our "party of ideas." The Republican Party
: will be the Party that represents their best vehicle for
: success, and not just the party of "no."
: Second, we need to identify and recruit the best and the
: brightest young conservative people in the world of politics,
: government and even entertainment to carry our message to a new
: generation. This recruitment will come from RNC Members and
: from the RNC Speakers Bureau.
: Third, we must leverage new media forms of communication to
: reach younger voters, engaging them online and with mobile
: devices.
: Fourth, I am proposing a series of youth conferences across
: the country. These three-day events will be opportunities for
: young people to learn more about the Republican Party and how
: they can be involved at the local level as candidates or
: campaign volunteers. These will also be opportunities to
: brainstorm and learn more about the issues and values drive
: voting preferences in younger generations.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: At the age of thirty, when I was
: elected Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, I was the
: youngest state chair in the nation. I moved our party
: headquarters next to Vanderbilt University in Nashville and
: built an impressive youth movement within our state
: organization. At one of our debate watching parties in 2000,
: an older party activist came up to me and told me in a
: distressed tone of voice: "Chip, I don't know anyone here." I
: replied, "That's the point." Today, at the age of forty, I
: believe that I can bring a new generation of young and
: energetic leadership to the forefront of our party.
: Michael Steele: The liberal tilt of America's college
: campuses has put the GOP and conservatives in general at a
: significant disadvantage. Couple that with the "rock-star
: status" of a candidate like Barack Obama who effectively
: harnessed technology, rhetoric, and pop culture and you can see
: why the GOP fails miserably with young people.
: But, new leadership creates new ways to connect to this
: generation of voters. Recruit better, engage more quickly and
: effectively, and provide young people with the confidence and
: the tools necessary for ideological victories on campus and
: political victories on campaigns.
: One way we can regain credibility is to break down the negative
: stereotypes. We must demonstrate that we're not a party for the
: white, rich and the powerful. We must hold up the GOP mirror
: and let them see message of our party reflected in their lives.
: I just don't want to take a page from the Democrats' playbook,
: I want to improve on the use of pop culture, music, and
: technology to adapt and create a party that young people want
: to join.
: 16. Although restored fidelity to old messages will certainly
: be required to grow the Republican Party again, new messages
: are also essential. What new messages would you communicate as
: RNC chairman?
: Saul Anuzis: It's not enough to be the Grand Old Party but we
: need to also be the Grand "Opportunity" Party that leads us into
: the 21st century with innovative solutions based on our
: conservative principles.
: Ken Blackwell: Principles do not change; however, our message
: must be fresh and put it in the context of the day. Primarily,
: I would bring to the American people the message that
: Republicans stand for something, then articulate how our
: principles in public policy make a difference in their lives.
: Republicans faced an almost identical situation in 1993. We
: lost the presidency to a young candidate with the ability to
: appeal to younger voters based on "hope". We need a new
: message in 2010, similar to the Contract with America, that
: shows the American people that we, as a party, stand for
: positive and practical solutions to our nation's challenges.
: It is difficult to determine today what specific issues will
: be utilized in our message, but it will be crystal clear to
: the American people in 2010 where Republicans stand and what
: we will do if they elect our party to majorities in Congress.
: Katon Dawson: I completely agree that fidelity to our core
: conservative principles is required to grow our Party. But to
: be a lasting majority Party our challenge is finding innovative
: ways of applying our conservative principles to the current
: challenges and opportunities of American life. Republicans
: need to put a human face on the problems Americans face today.
: We must address kitchen table issues faced by Americans today
: and, just as President Reagan did so successfully more than
: 20 years ago, we must adapt our conservative principles to the
: challenges of today, be it fighting terrorism, providing
: good-paying jobs for workers and opportunities for
: entrepreneurs, or helping families access health care and good
: schools for their children. Our conservative principles are
: timeless -- applying them to our current challenges is what we
: must now do.
: Mike Duncan: As RNC Chairman, I will rely on fundamental
: conservative principles of less government and lower taxes to
: communicate new solutions for the challenges that we face as a
: country. Our Center for Republican Renewal will be the engine
: for using the conservative principles to transform the
: Republican Party platform into specific policy ideas to address
: the concerns of Americans across the country. We will also
: leverage technology to deliver our ideas and messages via new
: media outlets to reach a broader audience across generations.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: As Republicans and as conservatives, we
: cannot afford to cede a single issue to the Democrats. Yet, on
: a range of issues from environmental protection to the rising
: cost of health care, our party has struggled to win voter
: confidence. Republicans seem to be better at explaining what we
: are against than building a coalition in support of a positive
: agenda. We oppose government-dominated health care, but have we
: articulated a market-based, patient-centered alternative? We're
: against massive new taxes to fund a global warming slush fund,
: but have we offered Americans a conservative set of principles
: which would best enhance our environment? As RNC Chairman, I
: directly challenge the liberalism of a Democrat-run federal
: government and promote real conservative solutions that
: Americans will trust.
: Michael Steele: First Message: We are the Conservative Party.
: Traditional Republican principles provide a popular perspective
: for policy engagement.
: For example, I coined the phrase "Drill, baby drill" at the
: RNC convention in 2008, not as the entire solution to our
: energy problem but to get people listening to a clear example
: of how Republicans should be distinguished from Democrats on
: one important aspect of the energy issue
: But energy is only one example. On any issue -- healthcare,
: education, infrastructure improvement, economic growth and new
: job creation, small business growth, urban development and
: renewal, tax fairness and simplification, and every other
: issue -- Republicans can beat Democrats simply by articulating
: innovative policy proposals based on time-tested, free-market,
: pro-family Republican principals.
: Under my leadership, the RNC will conduct a strategic
: initiative designed to identify the audiences that will join
: our Republican coalition, the messages based on Republican
: ideals that will motivate them to do so, and then develop the
: tactical methods for successfully communicating those messages
: to identified audiences in a manner that resonates with them.
: 17. New faces will be an important factor if Republicans are
: to become the majority party again.
: Should the recruitment of U.S. House and Senate candidates be
: entirely in the hands of the National Republican Congressional
: Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee?
: What should be the role of the RNC in recruitment of candidates
: at the congressional, state, and local levels? And how much
: money should the RNC invest in the next two years in candidate
: recruitment?
: Saul Anuzis: No. The RNC should also be involved in a team
: effort. The RNC needs to tap into our network of leaders in
: the states to help identify these candidates, and we must do a
: better job building a farm team. My 60 under 40 program will
: do just that. The issue is not "can we afford to recruit good
: candidates". The question is "can we afford not to". It would
: be foolish to put a dollar figure on this effort today without
: knowing more about how effectively we can work with the NRCC
: and NRSC, but I will tell you that I view candidate recruitment
: as absolutely critical to everything else we do.
: Ken Blackwell: I believe that it is time for the RNC to become
: much more involved in identifying potential Republican
: candidates for US Senate and House. The RNC certainly will not
: support one candidate over another in a primary without a signed
: Rule 11 waiver, but we must no longer relinquish control of
: federal candidate identification solely to the NRSC and NRCC.
: Additionally, we should recruit candidates who support the
: platform adopted by the Republican National Convention.
: Katon Dawson: The next RNC chairman must place a renewed focus
: on candidate recruitment. To succeed at the voting booth we must
: field a candidate in all 435 congressional districts, and get
: as many Republicans on state and local ballots as possible in
: all 3141 counties of America. We must encourage individuals
: outside of politics to seek office. We should rely on the advice
: of our state and local parties to recommend viable candidates
: not strictly the advice of consultants and other entrenched
: interests in Washington, DC and we must always ensure we give
: them the tools to win, especially adequate training and funding.
: Mike Duncan: As Chairman, I will call on all RNC Members to be
: active in seeking out and recruiting the best Republican
: candidates at the local, state, and Federal level. We will
: invest resources via the Partnership 2010 initiative, providing
: a dedicated, paid staff member will be in every state who will
: focus on candidate recruitment. Particularly when it comes to
: recruiting new candidates for US House and Senate seats, all
: Republican and conservative organizations need to be involved
: to support the efforts of the NRCC and NRSC.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: During the early years of the Bush
: Administration, the White House played an active role helping
: to recruit top flight candidates for Congress. When I was at
: the NRSC in 2001-02, the White House assisted Senator Bill Frist
: in urging candidates like John Thune, Norm Coleman and Elizabeth
: Dole to run for Senate. In lieu of the White House, the
: Republican National Committee must actively assist the NRSC and
: NRCC as they identify and pursue the best, most qualified
: candidates. The RNC must also work with the Republican
: Governors Association to ensure top gubernatorial candidates
: are leading their respective statewide ballots in 2010. But, as
: RNC Chairman, I will also endeavor to bring state party
: officials into the recruiting process. In many instances, local
: leaders are the best depository of political intelligence. They
: have first-hand knowledge of candidates, having observed them
: closely for years. They see local private sector leaders who
: may be strong candidates. Republicans in all fifty states must
: be ready to seize every opportunity to elect officials at all
: levels of government. To fully succeed, candidate recruitment
: should be a collaborative effort between national party leaders,
: congressional officials and state party officials.
: Michael Steele: There is too much talent within the RNC
: membership to leave candidate recruitment solely to the
: campaign committees. We need to work together to get the best
: candidates into the race. After all, state and local parties
: know their local players and dynamics better than Washington DC.
: This can set the stage for expanding the playing field with
: more competitive races as the overall environment changes.
: 18. No candidate is ever perfect, but what five or six factors
: do you think are most important in evaluating a potential
: Republican candidate?
: Saul Anuzis:
: 1) qualifications
: 2) philosophy
: 3) financial capabilities
: 4) image
: 5) ability to articulate our principles effectively
: Ken Blackwell: The most important factor in evaluating a
: potential Republican candidate is whether he/she has integrity
: and agrees with our philosophy of limited government,
: traditional values and a strong defense. If someone doesn't
: agree with the Republican philosophy of government, it hardly
: matters whether or not they make a good candidate on other
: levels.
: Once we are assured that they agree with our party
: philosophically, we should evaluate important factors such as
: their ability to appeal to voters for the office for which they
: are running, their ability to raise the resources necessary to
: be competitive, their ability to represent our party admirably
: on the national stage, and importantly, whether they are free
: from the corruption that plagued our party in recent years.
: Work ethic, loyalty, competence and intelligence are certainly
: important, too.
: Katon Dawson: As a party I believe we must remain committed to
: our core conservative principles: less government spending,
: lower taxes, personal freedom, strong national security,
: respect for the sanctity of life, traditional marriage and
: the importance of family.
: That said, believe we can also follow the advice of Ronald
: Reagan, who as governor gave a partisan speech to the
: California Republican Assembly at the Lafayette Hotel in Long
: Beach on April 1, 1967. He said, in part:
: "The Republican Party, both in this state and nationally, is a
: broad party. There is room in our tent for many views; indeed,
: the divergence of views is one of our strengths. Let no one,
: however, interpret this to mean compromise of basic philosophy
: or that we will be all things to all people for political
: expediency."
: Mike Duncan: Two important factors that I always consider are:
: (1) can the candidate articulate core conservative principles
: when describing why the candidate is running for office; and,
: (2) does the candidate have the core support of family and
: friends.
: The level of support from conservative organizations and
: alliances, the ability to communicate a conservative message to
: a broad audience, the ability to gather necessary resources,
: and the understanding of the scope of the campaign necessary
: for victory are several other critical factors to consider.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: The strongest Republican candidates have
: a true moral compass; genuine dedication to conservative ideals;
: effective communication skills; the ability to lead and inspire;
: intellectual curiosity and policy interest; and grassroots party
: experience. I believe that political hopefuls with these
: characteristics will be able to raise money, build a campaign
: organization and develop a coherent strategy. Should I be
: fortunate enough to serve as RNC Chairman, I will search out
: individuals with these qualities and those candidates will
: expand the party and restore our national governing majority.
: Michael Steele: As a Republican County Chairman, Republican
: State Chairman and winning candidate for Lt Governor in the
: very blue state of Maryland, I found the most important factors
: involved with a strong, competitive candidate to include:
: A. Strong commitment to Republican principles
: B. Understanding of community values and issues
: C. Ability to articulate motivational, contrasting messages
: concisely.
: D. Ability to attract appropriate talent and resources.
: E. Relevant experience.
: F. Ability to inspire and motivate volunteers and grassroots.
: G. Fire in the belly.
: 19. Meetings of the RNC are usually scripted so that virtually
: every word spoken is prepared in advance and every vote
: unanimous. Rarely is any serious matter put before the
: committee and debated openly.
: What would you do as national chairman to open up meetings of
: the RNC and allow RNC members to debate meaningful issues and
: actually decide some policies of the RNC?
: Saul Anuzis: This has been part of my platform. I will have
: far more time for RNC members to interact with one another,
: without media or outsiders present all the time. This will
: allow for an open exchange of ideas, and I believe, a stronger
: committee. I also believe strongly in establishing
: opportunities for sharing of best practices.
: Ken Blackwell: Our Republican platform adopted by thousands
: of delegates should form the basis of our political policy.
: However, I will encourage the proposal and adoption of
: resolutions regarding the major issues of the day at RNC
: meetings allowing debate among members. I will also ensure
: that involvement of the Counsel's Office is limited to its
: appropriate role of giving legal advice. And I will make
: every effort to ensure that each member of the RNC feels free
: to disagree with me without fear of reprisal.
: Katon Dawson: Debate is healthy and I have welcomed it as the
: State Executive Committee meetings in South Carolina. I have
: never felt that the meetings of the RNC were closed or that
: debate was limited. We've had serious debates about a number
: of resolutions and the most important issues facing the country
: as well as the recent changes to the RNC Rules. As a State
: Chairman, I have always included members of the State
: Executive Committee on big decisions to gain consensus as a
: Party, and would do so as RNC Chairman.
: Mike Duncan: As I announced to RNC Members on Saturday,
: December 13, my vision for the future of our Party is for the
: RNC to return to being a Member-driven Committee. I am
: proposing a series of working groups, which will be chaired by
: Members, to focus on the specific challenges that we are facing
: as a Party. These working groups will develop ideas, strategies
: for implementing those ideas, and will review progress to
: ensure that the ideas have been executed.
: I am very proud of the contributions made by my fellow RNC
: Members who served on Republican Convention Committees. I
: witnessed Members engaged in serious debates over policies that
: will have long-term effects for our Party.
: As to actual RNC Meetings, I believe there is a fine line when
: conducting a full meeting of the RNC that is well planned and
: organized, which is what I believe is desirable, and one which
: is perceived as overly programmed with preordained results. As
: a presiding officer, I understand and encourage Members to fully
: express their views while respecting the will of the governing
: body.
: As you know, much of the work and decision-making process of
: the RNC is conducted in all the various RNC Committees. For
: example, our Rules Committee works for four years reviewing
: each rule to present to the full Committee. Our work on the
: question of whether to change our Primary Election system has
: been a completely open process, resulting in a very healthy and
: vigorous discussion. I am committed that the RNC must return
: to being a Member-driven Committee, because active
: participation by Members is crucial to our success.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: I believe that the members of the
: Republican National Committee are the board of directors for
: our party and should be treated as such. Open dialogue at
: every meeting is essential, if we are to learn from our
: successes and our failures on the local, state, and national
: levels. By focusing on the crucial, substantive issues facing
: our country and by using RNC meetings to inform rather than
: rehash, we can better enable the membership of the RNC to serve
: as top level surrogates for our message and our agenda. But as
: Chairman, I would not wait until committee meetings to seek out
: the advice of RNC members. I am open to any idea that would
: foster greater communication between the national party and the
: states, including scheduled conference calls, an internal blog
: or an online dashboard for RNC members.
: Michael Steele: I am big on input. I want to hear what people
: think. No scripts. I'd also like to see more member-only
: meetings (no staff) in which we enjoy a candid discussion of
: the various issues confronting our Party everything from
: strategy and messaging to structure and organization.
: QUESTIONS RELATING TO CONSULTANTS
: 20. There are natural conflicts of interest between consultants
: and their clients.
: For the RNC, what counts in the long run is the net money
: raised; for a fundraising consultant firm, what counts most is
: the number of prospect letters mailed.
: Fundraising firms make much more money from prospect mailings
: than they do from cultivating their clients' existing donors.
: Therefore such firms don't give their highest quality
: attention to cultivating the client's housefile.
: In fact, communications to RNC donors bang away at them in an
: effort to squeeze every last possible dollar from them.
: What is seen is that some more money comes in. An RNC
: chairman should clearly understand that what is not seen is
: the large number of RNC donors who are turned off and resolve
: never to give to the RNC again.
: What would you do as RNC chairman to treat RNC donors better
: and not turn them away from future giving by pressuring them so
: hard that they never want to give again?
: Saul Anuzis: This has not been a major issue that Michigan
: donors have complained about. However, as a candidate I am
: seeking input from donors to better respond to their concerns.
: I believe that happy donors are more likely to give again, so
: I will always treat donors with dignity and respect and show
: gratitude for their contributions.
: Ken Blackwell: From what you're describing and what I've heard
: from Republican donors, there appears to be a problem. However,
: it would be most prudent to look at the RNC's various programs
: and firms and evaluate them individually before substantially
: commenting. I certainly would use common sense when reviewing
: this matter. Most importantly, we must treat our donors in a
: professional and courteous manner. Irritating donors
: accomplishes nothing. Once someone makes a contribution, we
: should treat that person as an investor in our party, showing
: individual respect so that they do not feel that they are
: simply part of a big list but part of our team. I would also
: consider compensating vendors on a different basis in order to
: remove the incentive for them to abuse the situation.
: Katon Dawson: I rebuilt the Republican Party in South Carolina
: from the bottom up, with an effective, robust-yet-genteel
: fundraising effort that has brought donors into the fold. We
: must localize, organize and mobilize our party's support by
: reassuring donors that their contribution brings our party
: closer to regaining the majority -- that is the only truly
: effective way to get folks to open their wallets and want to
: keep on giving. Our party must restore hope to everyday
: Americans by clearly communicating the practical applications
: of modern conservatism to the realities they face. As RNC
: Chairman, I will make sure that RNC donors understand the role
: they play in providing for a brighter future of the Republican
: Party.
: Mike Duncan: Fundraising is one of the most difficult
: challenges we face, and I am proud of the success we have had
: in the past two years despite a difficult political environment.
: I am also proud of the financial stewardship of the RNC over
: the past two years and I believe that ever donor's dollar has
: been carefully allocated to provide the maximum benefit.
: Finally, I am proud of the Code of Ethics that the RNC follows
: with regard to the use of consultants and our insistence that
: all conflicts of interests be immediately disclosed.
: As we enter a new era without the White House, this a perfect
: time for the RNC to re-evaluate all of our fundraising
: strategies. For example, we already know that our online
: fundraising will eclipse traditional telemarketing, and the
: RNCs 2009 fundraising plan reallocates resources accordingly.
: This opportunity to evaluate our fundraising tactics is why I
: have called for a Fundraising Working Group of RNC Members.
: This Working Group can examine each fundraising appeal and
: make recommendations for changes moving forward. As with all
: the Working Groups, this group's decisions will be transparent
: to all RNC Members.
: Finally, I believe that donors are less upset about being asked
: for money, as much as they may be upset that Republicans seem
: to have drifted from their core conservative principles. The
: actions of our officeholders have not always matched up with
: their conservative campaign promises, and that impacts
: Republican fundraising at all levels.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: As RNC Chairman, I know that we can
: treat our donors better not necessarily by asking less, but
: by asking smarter. More precise targeting can enable delivery
: of the best message through the ideal medium. For example, an
: emphasis on peer-to-peer fundraising can turn repetition from
: a negative into a positive. The tenth paid phone call can drive
: a donor to distraction, but an email from a personal friend
: might make a difference. Indeed, internet fundraising will be
: the best place to make progress in the coming years. We should
: initiate a phone program in every committee and have callers
: mine existing direct mail donors. Let's ask them to switch
: communication from mail and phones to the internet. Donors who
: agree should be removed from mail and phone solicitations. By
: converting the direct mail file to internet donors, the party
: will begin to see a higher net on return with decreased
: overhead costs and a decrease in frustration for our valuable
: donor base.
: Michael Steele: The manner in which the Republican National
: Committee raises money has become static. We need a new
: approach that engages our existing donors and expands our donor
: base utilizing a more cost-efficient method by using the latest
: technology and tools.
: Rather than barraging our donors with solicitation after
: solicitation that says little more than "Send Us Your Money" we
: need to establish a dialogue. We must keep them engaged by
: keeping them informed; but we must also take the time to listen
: to them. Some of my greatest success as a candidate or Chairman
: of GOPAC has come after I've spent time just listening to the
: concerns and ideas of donors. They see themselves as more than
: just a "check writer". We should too. We need to have a
: regular and ongoing conversation with updates on activities the
: RNC is focusing on, solicit their ideas and get their input on
: how we can serve them, the grassroots, and the local and state
: parties better, and reward them for the invaluable service they
: provide for our Party.
: 21. Some political consultants deliberately warp the budgets of
: campaigns to spend as much as possible on commissionable
: advertising.
: They completely or overwhelmingly neglect non-commissionable
: campaign expenditures on such ground-game activities as voter
: ID, voter registration, precinct organization, election-day
: turn out, youth efforts and other non-commissionable activity
: such as use of the new electronic technology.
: What would you as RNC chairman do to warn candidates and party
: committees against employing such consultants?
: Saul Anuzis: I simply will not tolerate staff or vendors that
: are disrespectful to our party leadership or finance leadership.
: Again, this has not been a problem I have confronted, however,
: I will show leadership on this front if faced with this
: challenge.
: Ken Blackwell: This is near and dear to my heart. One of the
: primary reasons that I am running is to return us to a 50 state
: strategy that invests heavily in the ground game (I refer again
: to previous answers) and spends a smaller percentage of the
: budget on television advertising. The divergence of media is
: making television ads less and less effective, and face to
: face communication via a good ground game has always been more
: effective. The Democrats appear to have learned what we as a
: party have forgotten.
: I agree with you that some consultants have taken advantage of
: our party. Specifically:
: * Some national consultants and the staffers who are loyal to
: them misuse the microtargeting product they sell. Microtargeting
: is a useful tool for some purposes such as identifying potential
: voters in Democrat areas to attempt to persuade them using mail.
: That said, microtargeting consultants and the RNC have
: essentially forced states to utilize this information for voter
: identification and voter turnout. This has turned out as many
: or more Democrat voters than Republican voters when the models
: are wrong or based on outdated information. It is not acceptable
: to use microtargeting at the expense of a REAL voter
: identification program on the phones and at the doors. We must
: return to the 'blocking and tackling' of precinct organization
: and voter identification rather than take the easy way out with
: a flawed GOTV program based solely on microtargeting. I believe
: this hurt us in both the 2006 and 2008 elections.
: * It appears that decisions at the RNC are essentially made in
: concert with the Chairman's office, Counsel's office, and their
: preferred consultants. Although there is nothing inappropriate
: about this type of decision-making, it leads to a potential
: conflict of interest between the consultants and the party and
: its candidates. I will not rely on commissioned DC-based
: consultants but will work closely with a team of deputy chairmen
: who come from the ranks of the RNC membership to determine our
: strategies. We have current state chairmen and RNC members who
: know as much, or more, about what our party should do
: strategically than many DC-based consultants. Simply put, I
: will find the next Haley Barbours and put them to work.
: * Our primary investment must be in implementing a 50-state
: strategy, and we must concentrate on building strong state and
: local parties In the near future, RNC resources will be
: allocated predominantly to re-building our party from the ground
: up rather than allocating television dollars in a broad shot-gun
: approach. The NRCC and the NRSC are going to have to largely
: raise their own money for television for specific candidates.
: Katon Dawson: As RNC Chairman, my office will always be open
: to candidates who seek advice. I have never been a political
: consultant and I have no intention of ever becoming one. That
: being said, ultimately the buck stops with the candidate, and
: if they choose to spend their money on consultants, that is
: their choice. But I do not believe it is the role of the RNC
: Chairman to micro-manage campaigns.
: Mike Duncan: Part of the challenge to embracing new
: communications technologies is that it requires a new model of
: political campaign budgeting that reduces consultant commissions
: for traditional media. As Chairman, I have and will continue to
: direct my political team to always give Parties and candidates
: honest evaluations about the performance of political
: consultants. However, the choice to contract with one
: consultant or another is ultimately up to the contracting
: party. In addition, to address the need for an increased focus
: on ground-game activities, my Partnership 2010 initiative will
: provide a paid staff member in each state that will focus on
: developing Victory plans, voter registration, and candidate
: recruitment. The RNC will also expand our in-house Victory
: and campaign management training programs so that every attendee
: will be aware of what to look for in hiring political
: consultants. It is my personal practice and recommendation to,
: when asked, provide multiple successful vendors for Parties and
: candidates to consider.
: I also recommend that State Parties employ a similar Code of
: Ethics that we have instituted at the RNC. We insist that
: contracts be competitively bid and that all potential bidders
: must disclose any conflicts of interest.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: Political consultants who win gain
: clients; those who lose face trouble. As Republicans and
: conservatives, we should allow the marketplace to decide which
: political consultants are hired and which are not. However, the
: national party can have a role in disseminating political
: consultant scorecards compiled by independent publications. I
: can assure you that, as Chairman, I will make sure that any
: consultant retained by the RNC provides the party with the
: highest level of service for the best price. I am running to
: rebuild the party, not to make friends within the consultant
: class.
: Michael Steele: I am a grassroots guy. We need to lead by
: example. The RNC resources need to be directed to the
: Grassroots not to consultants. And our candidate schools
: agenda should reflect this approach to campaigns and
: consultants.
: Unless a consultant has engaged in clearly unethical, illegal,
: or egregiously unprofessional behavior it is not my role to
: dictate to candidates which consultant they should or should
: not use or attempt in any way to influence their staffing
: decisions. Although I agree with the premise of the question
: and would speak out against the practice I will not to try to
: instruct candidates on which consultants to use.
: Most political consultants need to learn the power of precinct,
: coalitions, and grassroots work. Under my leadership, we will
: establish a program to ensure they do.
: 22. Political consultants often are the only ones who make big
: bucks in politics. They can be identified in three different
: categories.
: Some work only for conservative Republican candidates. Others
: work for any Republican candidate who will pay them, regardless
: of that candidate's philosophy. Others work for any candidate
: who will pay them, regardless of party.
: What would you do as RNC chairman to make sure that Republican
: candidates would know in advance which of these three
: categories a consultant fits into?
: Saul Anuzis: I would feel very comfortable making candidates
: aware of vendors that mistreat donors or party leaders. I have
: taken a strong stand in Michigan against vendors that are
: dishonest, disrespectful or abusive of their influence.
: Ken Blackwell: I will ask each consultant to send me a list of
: all candidates for whom they have worked during the past five
: years, along with the party affiliation of each candidate. I
: will make that list available to RNC members and candidates
: upon request. I would love to get RNC members' ideas on this
: as well.
: Katon Dawson: For too long the doors of the party committees
: in Washington have been closed to many good, honorable and
: hard-working Republican vendors. As RNC Chairman, I will
: institute more competitive bidding for projects that cannot
: be completed in-house. As RNC Chairman, RNC employees would
: be prohibited from having any outside income or interest in
: consulting firms.
: Mike Duncan: As I indicated above, I have and will continue
: to direct my political team to always give Parties and
: candidates honest evaluations about the performance of
: political consultants. Again, it is my personal practice and
: recommendation to provide multiple successful vendors for
: Parties and candidates to consider.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: (for 22./23.) As stated above, I believe
: the political marketplace should be where consultant hiring
: and firing takes place. I will readily make a listing available
: to potential candidates of political consultants and their
: clients. This disclosure will allow candidates to choose their
: own consultants based on their electoral success and previous
: clients. If a candidate wants to hire a consultant who mainly
: works for conservatives or for moderates or in a specific
: region - the choice will be their own. As Chairman, I would
: ensure that candidates and state parties have the RNC's advice
: and counsel regarding consultants at their disposal. However, I
: do not believe they should be forced to seek the committee's
: approval or disapproval. The RNC's mission is to empower
: candidates and state parties - not micromanage their day-to-day
: operations.
: Michael Steele: As Chairman, the RNC will not attempt to force
: or convince any state party or candidate to use any particular
: vendor or consultant. If asked for advice or guidance I will
: relay my experience with individual vendors or consultants, but
: only if asked.
: 23. National Republican staff compile lists of acceptable
: consultants and suppliers to recommend to candidates who seek
: money and other help from the RNC and other national Republican
: committees.
: Sometimes candidates and state parties are told that they must
: hire those favored consultants, their associates, and other
: specific suppliers or they will get little or no help from the
: RNC.
: Will the RNC under your chairmanship compile a list of favored
: consultants and suppliers and pressure candidates and state
: parties to hire them?
: Saul Anuzis: Absolutely not.
: Ken Blackwell: Based on discussions with many RNC members,
: this appears to have become quite problematic. Simply put, I
: would not force candidates to choose from a list of favored
: consultants in order to receive money. However, it is important
: to be able to recommend good consultants when asked. One
: possible solution may be block grants to state parties. Again,
: this is an area in which I want to work with RNC members to
: find the best solution.
: Katon Dawson: RNC staff does and should have lists of
: acceptable consultants and suppliers. That said, usually state
: parties have a better idea of which consultants play better on
: the ground in their areas than does Washington. We should not
: hamstring our state parties and candidates to hire an approved
: person to help our candidates win we should ultimately allow
: them to hire the best person to help our candidates win.
: Mike Duncan: No, this has never been my personal policy or
: recommended way of doing business. Please be assured that not
: only as Chairman, but on a personal level, I share your
: concerns on this subject. I take the RNC Code of Ethics very
: seriously and I expect all RNC employees to do the same. I
: have asked that RNC Members to bring any concerns immediately
: to my attention.
: In providing honest evaluations, the RNC political team will
: provide candid assessments as to whether the consultant
: understands how to be a part of a Republican team and whether
: the consultant is engaged in other campaign-related activities
: that would allow the consultant to profit by self-dealing. As
: indicated above, I strongly recommend providing multiple
: options for Parties and candidates to consider.
: Michael Steele: As Chairman, I will make certain that the RNC
: does not operate under a political consulting patronage program.
: The RNC will not tell state parties what vendors to use.
: However, I do see the efficacy of creating a list of vendors
: for the members who have been RNC certified -- they have been
: through our training programs, understand the messaging we want
: delivered and are prepared to assist the party and campaigns at
: all levels. This does not mean, however, that a state party or
: campaign HAS to use vendors on such a list "or else" (no money,
: no support). It does mean the vendors are available should you
: need one especially if you don't know any vendors. I would
: reserve the right, also, to suggest state parties avoid vendors
: who have proven themselves guilty of egregious unethical,
: behavior.
: 24. Local and state Republican Party leaders are often upset at
: RNC fundraising letters which imply that the way to contribute
: to the local or state party is to write a check to the RNC.
: Computer insertion by direct marketing consultants of the name
: of the local city or state into RNC fundraising letters in the
: past often seemed deliberately intended to give donors that
: impression.
: This causes donors to respond to fundraising appeals by state
: and local parties with irate and incorrect statements that they
: recently gave to those state and local committees.
: What would you do as RNC chairman to prevent the RNC from
: mailing such misleading letters in the future?
: Saul Anuzis: I will prohibit it.
: Ken Blackwell: I simply would not allow any misleading mail to
: be sent. That's not how Republicans ought to do business.
: Katon Dawson: The best method to prevent any future confusion
: or frustration is clarity, transparency and honesty with the
: state and local parties and with donors. Many voters -- yes,
: even those who give money -- already have a dim opinion of
: politics and fundraising. We don't need to give them doubts
: about donating. From the national end, the RNC needs to offer
: comprehensive training at regular intervals on fundraising,
: both for those who work at headquarters and with state and
: local party officials. In order to take back the majority, we
: must refine our fundraising methods to better cater to the
: needs of our donors, who serve as the backbone for our party.
: Mike Duncan: Under my Chairmanship, the RNC has never
: intentionally misled a donor. However, I know the frustration
: that is felt by State Parties when fundraising solicitations
: are not clear. I have asked all RNC Members to bring these
: letters to my attention so that any problems or
: misunderstandings can be addressed.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: For our fundraising to be successful, we
: must create a new era of teamwork between the RNC and our state
: and local parties. Rather than competing for resources, we
: should work cooperatively to ensure that each state gets the
: funds necessary to properly rebuild their infrastructure. As
: part of the RNC's political plan for expansion, I will
: establish a "Blue State Fund" to solicit contributions
: specifically to be invested in blue states. While leading
: Republican fundraisers and donors reside in the Northeast, the
: party holds few congressional seats in that region. In fact, in
: the new Congress, there will be no House members from New
: England at all. By creating this fund and keeping the money in
: the region, the party will be sending a critical message that
: there is nowhere in which Republicans cannot, and will not,
: aggressively compete.
: Michael Steele: We must construct a more collaborative
: relationship between the RNC and state and local parties.
: First, know that under my leadership, there won't be
: donor-only states. We'll work hard to compete in every state.
: Further, there is nothing I find less appealing than
: duplicitous and deceptive direct mail tactics. Many of these
: tactics take advantage of the elderly and I absolutely deplore
: them. As we continue to rely on direct mail for fundraising
: dollars it will be important for the RNC to move towards an
: increased role for online giving. As Chairman I will never
: approve any piece of mail (or email) that deliberately misleads
: donors.
: 25. Fundraising consultants for national Republican committees
: frequently send out mass mailings which include up to
: 40 opinion questions.
: Opinion surveys can be useful, but in 2008 long issue surveys
: didn't ask a single question about immigration or illegal
: aliens. This insulted and offended many Republicans.
: As RNC chairman, would you make sure that the major issues
: important to most Republicans are included in wide-ranging
: surveys mailed in mass numbers by the RNC?
: Saul Anuzis: Yes.
: Ken Blackwell: Absolutely.
: Katon Dawson: It is vital that the voices of voters and of
: party members are heard. Otherwise, we are shortchanging our
: own members and undecided voters interested in on hot-button
: issues, who may be looking for a political home. Issues such
: as illegal immigration are sensitive subjects that are of
: great importance to many citizens and should be included on all
: RNC mailings. As RNC chairman, I would make sure that all
: topics that are of concern to voters are known so that we will
: be able to provide commonsense solutions to problems that
: plague our nation.
: Mike Duncan: To the extent that the RNC will utilize these
: surveys in the future, I will make sure the issues we present
: reflect those important to conservatives and relevant to the
: national debate occurring at the time. The RNC will be in full
: control of any future surveys.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: Yes, absolutely.
: Michael Steele: Yes. As Chairman, I will always make sure
: that the RNC is engaged in open, honest, and frank discussions
: on all issues, not just the issues receiving the most attention
: at the time, but all issues facing our Party. Our Party
: suffers when we avoid issues because it may offend some segment
: of the American electorate or even worse, other Republicans.
: Our discussions should be based on the principles that define
: us and not on a feel-good approach that attempts to make
: everyone happy.
: 26. What political consultants are assisting you in your
: campaign for RNC chairman?
: Saul Anuzis: I have no paid consultants on my team. I have
: several individuals assisting me in my efforts, all are
: longtime friends and none have done work for or are vendors to
: the RNC. Katie Packer, who worked for me some 20 years ago
: with Michigan State Senator Dick Posthumus, and is now a partner
: in a political consulting firm WWP Strategies, is helping me.
: She is the only consultant that is spending a significant
: amount of time on my effort. I have offered no commitment for
: future business and she is in full agreement that there needs
: to be a competitive process in terms of any RNC business.
: Ken Blackwell: My campaign has retained consultants Josh
: Geleris. Additionally, John Yob, Charlie Davis, Rhett Davis,
: and Shannon Flaherty have volunteered their time.
: Katon Dawson: I have not paid anyone to assist with my campaign
: for RNC Chairman. My advisors are long-time friends, mentors and
: most importantly, people whose judgment I trust and opinions I
: value.
: Mike Duncan: I have asked Tom Whatman to manage my campaign
: for Chairman. Tom is not a political consultant, nor does he
: anticipate having any business or contract with the RNC.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: I have no consultants on the payroll of
: my campaign for RNC Chairman. On a purely volunteer basis, many
: of my friends are sharing their advice with me and making calls
: on my behalf. Among these volunteers, I count my decades-long
: friend Linus Catignani and Chris Maiorana of LCM Strategies.
: Michael Steele: I have a large number of Republican activists
: helping on my campaign over 5,000 have signed up online. I am
: not paying fees to any professional consultant for their
: services to my campaign. Among those who are volunteering are:
: Tony Marsh and Lance Copsey of Marsh Copsey Associates; Blaise
: Hazelwood of Grassroots Targeting; Curt Anderson of On Message,
: Inc.; and Kevin Igoe of Igoe Associates.
: PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES AND PLANS
: 27. Many people decide to join the Republican Party because
: they believe it is the best vehicle to advance their
: conservative principles.
: Then they see their party leaders and party committees
: supporting liberal or content-free Republican incumbents for
: re-nomination.
: Or they see their party leaders or party committees supporting
: non-conservatives for nomination in open seats, giving as a
: reason that a more conservative candidate "can't win."
: Or in general elections they see their party leaders or party
: staff disproportionately directing party resources to
: non-conservative party nominees rather than to conservative
: party nominees.
: What would you do as RNC chairman that would assure
: conservatives that such objectionable practices will not happen
: on your watch?
: Saul Anuzis: The role of the RNC Chairman is not to insert
: themselves in primaries. Once the party chooses the standard
: bearer, it is the role of the party to support their nominee.
: The opportunity for conservatives is to get involved in
: primaries and make sure we nominate candidate that we can
: support.
: Ken Blackwell: I am a member of the board of directors for the
: Club for Growth because I believe we need stronger conservative
: candidates to win our party primaries across the country. I do
: not hesitate in my support of conservatives.
: I will end any practice of the RNC that withholds support for
: candidates based solely on the fact that they are more
: conservative than others.
: Katon Dawson: I will work with Republican leaders at the
: federal level, and state and local Republican parties to
: identify candidates and ensure that Republicans appear on the
: ballot in as many races as possible, and I will support the
: choices of state and local Republican leaders who know best
: the candidates running for office in their parts of America.
: Mike Duncan: As Party Chairman, I try to lead by example.
: In supporting candidates, our party relies on the wisdom and
: judgment of RNC Members and local Party leaders. Through our
: Partnership 2010 program, we will have more eyes and ears at
: the local level than ever, and be able to have more of an
: impact on candidate recruitment, as well as a more consistent
: means of message delivery from the RNC to the states.
: At the RNC, we are fortunate to have an institutional control
: on our support of candidates that mandates the approval of the
: three RNC Members from the state involved. As you know,
: Rule 11 of the Rules of the Republican Party forbids the RNC
: from providing any candidate support in a contested primary
: without the express consent of the three RNC Members from that
: state.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: Voters and party activists choose our
: candidates, not RNC Chairmen. As Chairman, I will promote a
: level playing field upon which all of our prospective leaders
: debate their visions for their state and our nation. All who
: choose to run under the Republican banner will be welcome to
: compete, while I am Chairman.
: Michael Steele: To regain our credibility as the party of
: conservative principles, we need to identify and recruit
: talented candidates who will carry those principles into battle.
: I will support recruitment efforts wherever we don't have an
: existing Republican candidate. I am not inclined to even
: attempt to pick winners in Republican primaries. I will
: support Republican nominees -- all Republican nominees. Of
: course, those most committed to winning by best articulating
: our core Republican message and successfully attracting
: resources and votes will be rewarded with all of the resources
: we can offer. As a general rule, however, the RNC under my
: leadership will work hard to contest every election, appeal to
: every voter, everywhere.
: 28. The results of the 2010 elections will largely determine
: the congressional and state legislative reapportionment for a
: decade.
: In past decades, the RNC and the National Republican
: Congressional Committee have designated small working groups to
: plan and coordinate Republican efforts in the run-up to
: reapportionment.
: Prior to the 1990 elections, for example, such a working group
: focused not just on state legislative races and gubernatorial
: races. They also developed and implemented plans for state
: supreme court elections, media strategies, legal strategies,
: etc.
: Regarding reapportionment and redistricting, what would you do
: as RNC chairman? And how much RNC money would you allocate to
: this vitally important matter?
: Saul Anuzis: I have consistently looked at this as a long-term
: project. We have committed a multi-year program and
: fundraising effort. I would do the same at the RNC.
: Ken Blackwell: I have a lot of experience working on matters
: related to redistricting. It would be my top priority as RNC
: Chairman after the re-establishment of our conservative brand.
: Newt Gingrich and Trent Lott asked me to lead our efforts across
: the country in fighting the Democrat attempts to utilize
: sampling in order to gain an advantage in the 2000 Census. I
: traveled to all fifty states to fight the Democrats in this
: battle and lead our efforts in legal and political venues
: across the country. So, this will not be a new fight for me.
: Obviously, the comprehensive effort we need will be very costly,
: but it would be impossible to give you a specific amount at this
: time.
: I believe that one of the most important jobs we have in 2010
: is winning the battle for state legislative chambers and
: governorships so that we can guarantee that Democrats do not
: gerrymander districts to unfairly hurt Republican congressional
: prospects. Generally, we must:
: Identify states where there are opportunities to capture state
: legislative chambers that we do not currently hold and do so.
: Identify states where we currently have a tenuous hold on a
: chamber, identify districts within the state where we can help,
: and do what we can to shore up the Republicans in those seats.
: Katon Dawson: As RNC Chairman, I will ask each state party to
: form advisory committees on redistricting in their states. The
: RNC will form one as well that will assist these state parties
: in writing a redistricting plan for their state. The outcome
: of these plans, as well as a specific fundraising campaign for
: redistricting, will determine how much RNC money will be devoted
: to this effort.
: Mike Duncan: Reapportionment and redistricting are of critical
: importance. Part of my 10-point plan focuses specifically on
: this subject. One of the working groups that I have recommended
: in my Member Driven Committee initiative will focus exclusively
: on reapportionment and redistricting. I have pledged to make
: sure we have the financial, political and legal tools we need
: to help Republicans in every state apply their rightful
: influence on the process to ensure that new district maps are
: drawn properly and fairly.
: Our strategy will focus on three main areas: technology,
: litigation, and the election of decision makers. Our
: Partnership 2010 initiative will have a paid staff member in
: every state whose responsibilities will include be working on
: redistricting and reapportionment. As this will be an effort
: that spans at least six years, I believe that it will require
: a financial commitment of millions of dollars.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: While the press continues to speculate
: about the next presidential contest in 2012, I can assure you
: that my focus as RNC Chairman will be on the governors' and
: state legislative races in 2010. Those elections have
: extraordinary importance because of reapportionment and
: redistricting. In my home state of Tennessee, for example,
: Republicans now control both the State House and Senate for the
: first time since 1869. If we can maintain our current
: majorities and retake the Governor's mansion in 2010,
: Tennessee's political landscape can be dramatically reshaped.
: By closely coordinating with each of our fifty state parties,
: the RNC can maximize our party's capacity to redraw the map for
: the next decade.
: Michael Steele: Preparation for the reapportionment and
: redistricting process is essential to Republican political
: success in the second decade of the twenty-first century. I am
: fully committed to using the resources necessary to ensure a
: fair reapportionment process in all 50 states, encompassing the
: full spectrum of elected offices.
: The RNC, under my Chairmanship, will: 1. establish an RNC
: Redistricting Office which will provide direct access to all
: 50 state working groups; 2. provide legal and technical
: assistance to each state working group; 3. Develop
: state-of-the-art technology for assembling, accessing, and
: mapping relevant demographic and vote history data; 4. Provide
: the most talented redistricting experts available to consult
: with and assist each state work group.
: As Maryland State Party Chairman, I sued the incumbent Democrat
: Governor over his unfair re-districting plan and Maryland
: Courts overturned his partisan gerrymandered state legislative
: plan. Democrat legislative leaders were found to have
: committed ethical violations by attempting to influence the
: Court's decision and I brought ethics charges against several
: members of the State Senate including the Senate President. When
: it comes to getting a fair shake for Republicans in the
: reapportionment and redistricting process, I won't hesitate to
: play hardball regardless of the opponent.
: 29. Some RNC chairmen over the years have been full-time
: chairmen. Others have held the post and retained other
: political or business responsibilities.
: If elected, would you be a full-time RNC chairman?
: Saul Anuzis: Yes.
: Ken Blackwell: I would be a full-time Chairman of the RNC and
: would resign most other responsibilities, with the exception
: of those roles that I could legally keep at the NRA, NTU and
: FRC.
: Katon Dawson: Yes.
: Mike Duncan: Over the past two years, I have been a full-time
: chairman, and I will continue to be. The job of chairman of
: the RNC is a full-time job, and I will continue to treat it as
: such.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: I will be a full-time RNC Chairman, just
: as I was a full-time Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party
: from 1998 to 2001. My singular focus will be Republican
: resurgence across the country.
: Michael Steele: I will be a full-time chairman.
: 30. When Democrats hold the White House, the RNC chairman must
: serve often as "the face of the Republican Party."
: Are you confident that you have the speaking skills and
: effective presence on television to perform successfully
: against those whom the Democrats would put up against you?
: Saul Anuzis: Yes. I also believe that the job of chairman is
: not simply to be a "spokesmodel" for core principles. Our
: chairman must be a strong believer in those principles to
: articulate them effectively. AND our chairman must have the
: ability to attract other well known, articulate spokespersons
: to communicate our message.
: Ken Blackwell: Yes. I've been on network programming regularly
: for many years and feel very comfortable in that role.
: Katon Dawson: Yes, proven during my tenure as the nation's
: fourth-longest-serving state GOP chairman whose state also has
: a critical, much-televised primary.
: Mike Duncan: Yes. As Chairman, I have appeared on countless
: news and interview programs delivering our message, from local
: and state media outlets to national networks such as CBS, CNN,
: MSNBC, NBC and FoxNews. I've used these opportunities to speak
: our on critical issues of national importance and to address
: political issues within the Republican Party.
: While I believe I have the skills needed to effectively deliver
: our message, I also firmly believe that our party is best
: served when we have many effective messengers explaining our
: vision and carrying the Republican banner from coast to coast.
: As Chairman, it is also my responsibility to make sure we
: continue to recruit and develop our team of Republican
: spokespeople. That is why I am so excited about reconstituting
: the RNC Speakers Bureau and having talented and effective
: Republican spokespersons speaking around the country and
: reaching every American.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: Our next RNC Chairman must be able use
: to communicate our values, advance our agenda, and fight the
: liberals running the federal government as they inevitably
: overreach. Based on my appearances on all the major news
: networks and my regular role as a Republican strategist on
: Fox News, I'm confident that I can meet these challenges
: creatively, appropriately and aggressively.
: Michael Steele: Because I believe so passionately that our
: Republican ideals can enrich the lives of all Americans
: -- regardless of race, gender, geography, or class -- I have
: specifically sought to speak directly to Americans through a
: variety of outlets. I have had the privilege of speaking at
: two national conventions and the honor of representing our
: country at the Vatican and in Africa and the Middle East. I
: have also thoroughly enjoyed engaging in the public discourse
: that appeals to a slightly different audience through The
: Colbert Report and the Bill Mahr Show.
: A memorable and effective speaker is equal parts passion,
: purpose, and knowledge. I have been that for our Party and will
: be that as your Chairman.
: 31. There's a consensus that the major national media were
: overwhelmingly unfavorable to the Republican Party and its
: candidates in the recent election. This biased coverage
: helped create a bandwagon effect for Democrats.
: What plans would you implement to get for Republicans a more
: even break in the news media leading up to the 2010 elections?
: Saul Anuzis: I will work hard to build relationships with
: members of the press. I will treat them with respect when they
: get it right. But I will also be willing to challenge them
: when they are obviously shilling for the other side. Our party
: cannot win when the media behaves like a division of the DNC.
: Ken Blackwell: We must run a more effective press operation
: and smarter campaigns. We will structure our communications
: department to be not only reactive, but proactive. Because much
: of the national media is a multi-million dollar empire dedicated
: to the liberal cause and that we may never change that dynamic,
: we must find ways to communicate our message to voters despite
: this bent. We must use emerging technology to level the playing
: field.
: Republicans must choose their words carefully in this
: environment and make sure that we connect with the voters,
: regardless of the media. Our candidates and party leaders need
: better training, and we will provide this.
: We also need to encourage the development of additional
: conservative media. The rise of the Internet as the primary
: source of news for a plurality of Americans presents us with
: great opportunities for finding a balance to the traditional
: liberal media.
: Katon Dawson: Fighting the liberal media is an uphill battle.
: Critical to doing so will be having an aggressive
: communications staff at the RNC who can effective convey our
: party's messages through the media to the voters. I'll also
: ensure that state and local Republican parties have access to
: materials that empower them to communicate our core principles
: to voters. Of course, as chairman I'll actively seek
: opportunities to speak with members of the press about our
: party's solutions to issues facing America today.
: Mike Duncan: While there is no doubt the mainstream media
: is dominated by a liberal bias, surveys also show that the
: general public recognizes this fact. In other words, I credit
: the American public with the ability to filter the bias of
: whatever medium they are seeing or hearing at any given time.
: However, the reality of the media bias means that the RNC
: must optimize our use of new media to take our message directly
: to the public, unfiltered by the liberal left. We've made huge
: strides in communicating via email and the web, but we need to
: be focusing on the next leap in communications technology.
: I will also adamantly fight against any effort to reinstate the
: so-called "Fairness Doctrine." Not only is this an effort to
: quiet conservative talk radio, the Doctrine proposes an
: unconstitutional limitation on the freedom of the press. The
: government has absolutely no role in dictating how radio or
: television outlets cover the news or allow political opinions
: to be expressed, within the bounds of decency.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: The mainstream media's bias in this
: election cycle is hardly a new phenomenon. Going back to 1984,
: independent scholars found Ronald Reagan's coverage was ten to
: one negative, while his Democratic challenger, Walter Mondale,
: received a majority of positive coverage. And we know how that
: turned out. Since the likelihood of the media altering its
: ideological perspective is about as likely as Speaker Pelosi
: cutting government spending, it is incumbent on the RNC to
: forcefully challenge every instance of bias and of favoritism
: in real time, as we monitor the governing troika of Barack
: Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. Getting out an accurate
: and coherent Republican message will take a great deal of time
: and effort from the committee's research and communications
: staff. A "watchdog" division within the national party should
: be established whose sole mission is to monitor and report on
: the actions of Washington, D.C. Democrats. By strategically
: countering wrong-headed Obama-Reid-Pelosi policies, legislation
: and appointments, the Republican Party will offer stronger, more
: vibrant opposition. This department will have to work closely
: with bloggers, talk radio hosts and reporters to get the
: message out. I also believe that information should be
: distributed directly to party activists and members for viral
: dissemination. We all understand the impact of the internet
: in quickly spreading information of public import. Accordingly,
: we should curtail the practice of saving opposition research
: for independent expenditure units to run in expensive
: television ads. We will continue to share the information with
: our supporters directly on the committee's website. But we
: should also provide the tools for our supporters to easily
: distribute the information within their networks of friends
: and family and on their own personal websites and blogs.
: Releases should also offer the opportunity for recipients to
: contribute, sign-up online, and get involved with our party in
: other meaningful ways.
: Michael Steele: For too long there has been a "them vs. us"
: mentality towards the media. Outlets perceived, however
: correctly, as biased have been completely shunned. We need to
: engage these outlets, include them in our media tours, and
: re-open the dialogue. After all, there is a reason Hillary and
: Barack appeared on Fox. Strong and clear messages delivered
: by assertive messengers will form the building blocks necessary
: to rebuild a palpable Republican presence in all 50 states.
: As RNC Chairman, I personally will begin this process but will
: also work to develop this capability across the party by
: training state and local organizations and candidates on how
: to work with the press and how to push for consistency and
: fidelity in media reporting.
: An innovative RNC would also recognize that traditional media
: is not the only way to speak to voters. We have to recapture
: our position of leadership in political technology by investing
: in emerging marketing tools that leverage wireless and internet
: platforms. Leadership in this arena now will enable us to
: overcome existing media hierarchies and communicate more
: directly with voters in 2010 and beyond. Moreover, I intend to
: create an 'RNC Intranet" to facilitate the communication of
: strategies and information among the members to share with
: local and state media. Communication in politics like location
: in real estate means everything!
: 32. Surveys showed a dramatic decline in recent years in the
: number of Americans identifying themselves as Republicans. It
: has frequently been said that our party "lost its brand."
: What must be done to recover the more favorable opinion people
: recently had for the Republican Party? If it's a matter
: of "recovering our brand," what strategy and tactics should
: the party use to re-introduce itself attractively to the
: American people?
: Saul Anuzis: Until our national leaders, particularly in
: Congress, actually stand up for our center-right principles,
: we won't win. We need to put forth an agenda that affects
: real people with real problems - from Wall Street to Main
: Street. And we need to call our leaders on the carpet when they
: say one thing to voters and behave in a different way.
: Ken Blackwell: Much of this is due to the Iraq War, the
: historically low approval ratings of the President and the
: economic troubles we are now facing. In time, I am confident
: that we will recover. Meanwhile, we can speed along this
: recovery by sharply distinguishing ourselves from the
: Democrats. That means Republicans must stop growing government
: and spending taxpayer money. We have to stop worrying about
: receiving the love and affection of the liberal media and stick
: to our guns. The American people want a party that stands for
: fiscal responsibility, defending our nation at home and abroad,
: and fighting for a culture of life. For too long, many in our
: party have acted too much like the Democrats. When the American
: people are faced with the choice of "Democrat-Lite" or the real
: thing, they choose the authentic article every time. So the
: passing of time coupled with a commitment to principle and a
: clear, concise, positive, practical message will solve this
: problem.
: Katon Dawson: A successful political party learns from its
: mistakes and charts a new way forward to achieve victory in the
: future. In recent years, our party lost its way. We lost our
: core identity. We became the party of Washington instead of
: the party of Middle America. And, we failed to communicate a
: compelling vision for America's future. The gift of
: communication given to us by Ronald Reagan was lost with
: candidates and party leaders speaking from talking points
: instead of speaking from the heart.
: The Republican Party was once known as the party of lower taxes
: and less spending. We delivered on tax cuts, which helped our
: economy expand, but we failed to win the fight to have a
: permanent tax reduction. We failed to streamline government,
: shut down failed programs and reduce waste, fraud and taxpayer
: abuse. Republicans turned on the spigot of big spending,
: expanded bloated government programs and created new
: entitlements.
: The Republican Party was once known as the party of small
: business, entrepreneurship and enterprise. That mantle was
: lost when our leaders promoted big government, big spending,
: and more mandates and regulation. Small business creates more
: than 80 percent of the jobs in America, yet our Republican
: Party spent too much time focusing on federal government policy
: than freeing up our most productive class, America's small
: businessmen and women.
: The Republican Party was once known for having a steady
: cultural and moral compass. But some of our leaders engaged
: in unethical practices, immoral conduct and political
: corruption causing voters to lose trust in us. We know why we
: have failed, now we need to learn from our mistakes, change
: course and build upon the core principles that brought us
: success in the past. We should be hopeful about our future, we
: should be confident in our course. Hope, confidence and victory
: will come, with the right plan and the right leaders.
: To understand how we move forward, we must understand where we
: went wrong. Below are four specific failures which contributed
: to the setbacks suffered by Republicans in 2006 and 2008:
: 1 - Excessive Spending
: In 2005, Republicans held a solid majority in Congress. But its
: members in Congress were spending at twice the rate as they
: had under President Clinton. Republicans passed the nation's
: largest entitlement program in forty years the Medicare
: prescription drug plan, and the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere," a
: $223 million bridge in Alaska to an island of fifty residents,
: became a symbol of wasteful spending at the hands of
: Republicans. In November 2006, the Republican inconsistency
: between message and legislative action was exposed, and
: consequently, we lost control of Congress. The Republican
: Party behaved like teenagers at the mall with mom and dad's
: credit card. We spent like mad and didn't care who paid the
: bill. On Election Day, the bill came due and price we paid was
: massive defeat.
: 2 - Scandal and Corruption
: The unraveling of the Republican majority can be largely
: attributed to a perceived culture of corruption. Since 2006,
: more than seventeen Republican members of Congress had been
: implicated in sexual and financial scandals. Five instances of
: impropriety in the years since were particularly damaging;
: Representative Mark Foley's inappropriate correspondence with
: young male pages, Senator Larry Craig's airport incident,
: Representative Duke Cunningham's bribery scandal,
: Representative Bob Ney's involvement with Jack Abramoff, and
: most recently the conviction of Senator Ted Stevens. Couple
: these instances of corruption with doubts about the conduct
: of war and the management of our economy and you have a formula
: for widespread distrust of the Republican brand.
: 3 - The Struggle for a New Conservative Agenda
: The successes enjoyed by Republicans in the early 1990s find
: their roots in Ronald Reagan's vision of the 1980s. In fact,
: a Rasmussen poll taken in early October of 2008 showed
: 59 percent agreed with Ronald Reagan's seminal line in his
: first Inaugural: "Government is not the solution to our
: problem; government is the problem." Just 28 percent
: disagreed and 44 percent of Obama voters agreed with Ronald
: Reagan. Voters saw Obama as being authentic on tax cutting,
: while John McCain was not. Obama stole the Republican Party's
: core tax message and got a way with it. And, while Obama was
: advocating tax reduction, the Bush administration was rolling
: out a $700 billion dollar taxpayer-backed bailout. The
: legislative and political successes of the First Republican
: Revolution are closely knitted together. The Contract with
: America not only charted a path for a permanent political
: majority, but also for sound conservative policy. The Contract
: was overwhelmingly successful because it abided by the adage,
: "good policy is good politics." Today's challenge is finding
: innovative ways of applying our conservative principles to
: current challenges and opportunities of American life.
: Republicans need to put a human face on the problems Americans
: face today. We must address kitchen table issues and do so by
: putting our hard-working families foremost in our minds. We
: will not forget the mother who has to send her child to a
: failed school. We will not abandon the father who has lost his
: job or entrepreneur who is being crushed by taxes and
: regulation. We will not permit the Democrats to destroy the
: most effective health care delivery system in the world and
: replace it with a government run monstrosity that takes away
: our right to choose our own doctor. Republicans still believe
: in 'We the People' not 'Us the Government.'"
: 4 - Securing the Support of Middle-Class Americans
: Middle class voters don't ask for much. The mother or father
: wants a good job at a good wage. They want their child to walk
: on a safe street, attend a good school and learn the skills
: that will allow them to succeed in life. The family wants
: affordable health care and financial security. They want to
: live in a clean environment in a community that cares where
: religious rights are respected and individual rights are
: guaranteed. Our middle class families want to live the
: American Dream of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
: To do that, government must be limited and personal freedom
: must be expanded. Too often, the Republican Party is framed as
: the Party of big business, Wall Street or Special Interests.
: The reality is that the GOP is the party of the common man and
: woman and always has been. We seek to speak for the forgotten
: men and women who hold down two jobs, work part-time or just
: get by on what they earn. We seek to deliver on the dream of
: lower taxes so our families have bigger paychecks. We will also
: hold Wall Street and Washington accountable. We reject those
: who game the system, bankrupt companies and escape with golden
: parachutes. We will also stand up for the rule of law and fair
: play by enforcing our immigration laws and securing our border.
: What Will It Take to Set Things Right?
: Renew. Reform. Restore. Our Party must renew its commitment to
: the Republican principles of less government spending, lower
: taxes, individual freedom, strong national security, respect
: for the sanctity of life, traditional marriage and the
: importance of family. These are the timeless principles of
: the Republican Party that have served our party well for
: decades.
: Whether you are an Eisenhower, Nixon, Goldwater, Ford, Reagan,
: Bush or McCain Republican, at our very core has been the
: concept that the people, not the government, know best how to
: spend their hard-earned dollars. Through tax cuts and holding
: the line on government spending, Republican policies have
: encouraged the growth of the private sector of the economy,
: which leads to job creation, more innovation and a
: diversification of our economy. Protecting individual liberty
: is an important plank of our economic message. The American
: Dream will thrive again if we as Republicans will not cave
: into the interests of an expansive, activist government.
: Keeping America safe and secure through a strong national
: defense has been an integral part of the Republican Party. Our
: presidents and leaders have always known that America that
: despite what our wishes, America has enemies that fear
: democracy, liberty and individual freedom. They fear that
: their oppressed citizens will demand the same rights and
: freedoms we are endowed from our Creator. A strong national
: defense to defend our sovereignty and ensure our national
: security is a key plank in our platform and we should never
: wave from it.
: America is unique among the world's democracies in that
: religion and the morality derived from religion permeates
: throughout America. Americans attend religious services much
: more often compared to Europe and other Western democracies. At
: the center of the most dominant religions in America is the
: family. As a party, we have focused on a number if issues to
: protect, strengthen and encourage the family as the bedrock of
: the American experience. Going forward, our party must continue
: to be the party that best understands the concerns of today's
: American families. Our party must restore hope to everyday
: Americans by clearly communicating the practical applications
: of modern conservatism to the realities they face.
: The Republican Party should not become the opposition party
: that always says "no." Rather, we should become the party that
: says "here's a better idea that will work." It is simply not
: good enough to simply be against something all the time. If we
: are to regain center-right independents, we will need to be a
: party of solutions. And we must explain our solutions in
: easily understood language with concrete, real-world examples.
: Ronald Reagan's optimistic outlook brought America out of the
: worst recession since the Great Depression and his can-do
: spirit helped win the Cold War. We need to be happy warriors;
: fighting the legislative battles with vigor but not because of
: hate or spite. Our message has worked in the past and will
: resonate with voters again once we regain their trust. It will
: not happen overnight, but by integrating our message into
: everything we do as a party we will soon be the preferred
: political party of choice by the voters.
: Mike Duncan: First, I would disagree with the commentary
: that the "brand" of the RNC was lost or can be recovered.
: Republicanism is not a consumer good on the shelf of a store.
: Republicanism is a conservative philosophy that promotes
: individual liberty, defends freedom, and recognizes that strong
: family and societal values are the cornerstone of our
: democracy. Over the past several years, we did not deliver on
: our core conservative principles and we lost the confidence of
: the electorate.
: Second, we are already taking steps to recommit ourselves to
: our conservative roots and we are already seeing the results.
: Since the Presidential election on November 4, the RNC has
: filed lawsuits challenging the current campaign finance regime,
: Republicans have won three Federal elections in Georgia and
: Louisiana, and we are bringing elected officials and Party
: leaders together to plan strategies and tactics for 2009. We
: know that Democrats are looking to quickly move a liberal
: agenda and we do not have a moment to waste.
: Third, as we continue to move forward, we must be the Party of
: Ideas and we must stay true to our conservative principles.
: Over the past twenty years, the ideology of our electorate has
: remained the same, with about 20% of the electorate identifying
: themselves as liberal with the remaining 80% almost evenly
: split between conservative and moderate. Majorities of
: American voters support reduced government spending, tax cuts,
: smaller government, and market-driven solutions to health care
: and energy challenges.
: When the Republican Party provides American voters policies
: and ideas to believe in, we will recapture conservative voters
: that have drifted away from the Party. The first step in this
: effort will be through the Center for Republican Renewal and
: the RNC Speakers Bureau. We need to proudly talk about who we
: are and what we believe, and connect that to people's everyday
: lives.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: Through good times and bad, the
: Republican brand over the past eight years has been tied to
: President George W. Bush. And it is indisputable that the
: President's historically low approval rating helped to create a
: strong headwind for our candidates this past November. Voters
: saw time and again that Republican elected officials in
: Washington did not match their rhetoric with action. We made
: commitments on spending, on border security and on public
: integrity that we did not keep. I believe the answer to
: regaining favorability is to bring Republicans back to the
: principles of fiscal restraint and individual responsibility.
: As a new generation of Republican state leaders from across
: the country - Sarah Palin, Bobby Jindal, Mark Sanford, Charlie
: Crist, Jodi Rell, Mitch Daniels - emerge as top party
: spokespeople, I have every confidence that our party can arise
: bolder, stronger, and more cohesive in the months and years to
: come.
: Michael Steele: In a post-election survey I asked the
: Tarrance Group to conduct on GOPAC's behalf, we found some
: interesting things. 69% of Americans consider themselves
: fiscal conservatives; 53%, social conservatives; and, 55% of
: Americans still perceive Ronald Reagan as best example of
: Republican principles at work. And, yet, a majority of
: Americans don't feel the Republican Party has been standing up
: for its ideals. This dichotomy has come to be referred to as
: our "brand problem." Some in our own party say we've lost our
: way. That may be, but, in my time as GOPAC Chairman, I've met
: so many state and local Republican leaders who live the "brand"
: every day and whom I wish Americans knew more about.
: I invite proponents of a Republican "marketplace of ideas" to
: join me in building an RNC that leverages its intimacy with
: state and local leaders to highlight and share the successes
: of Republicans in state houses, gubernatorial mansions, and on
: city councils. The RNC should certainly be the highway for the
: flow of expertise and dollars but why not of innovation as well?
: By sharing and highlighting the novel and practicable solutions
: championed by Republican leaders across the country we can
: demonstrate again the pragmatic conservatism that earned
: voters' trust in the first place.
: Tactically, our message carrying techniques must be revisited
: and refined to reflect the same caliber ingenuity. We must
: re-engage our media partners to ensure the positive tone and
: common sense content of our message has an opportunity to reach
: the public. We have to invest in new technology in order to
: reach audiences in new ways through a more thoughtful presence
: on social networking sites, blogs, and high-traffic websites.
: Clearly, we need to ensure state, local, and campaign
: communications have more timely access to thought-leaders and
: leaders in Washington.
: 33. To become again the majority party, Republicans must
: identify, recruit, and train large numbers of new activists
: and leaders.
: As RNC chairman, what would you do to multiply our Republican
: recruitment and training of new activists and leaders at the
: state and local levels?
: Saul Anuzis: As I've mentioned, this starts with articulating
: ideas that engender passion in the people of America. When we
: do the former, people will be energized. Only then will we
: have the financial resources to do these things.
: Ken Blackwell: I refer again to my answer to question 1.
: There isn't anyone in the country who knows more about
: identifying, training, and recruiting new conservative
: activists than you, Morton. The Leadership Institute does a
: tremendous job training new conservatives. But there is one
: element essential to our success in multiplying our Republican
: recruitment and training of new activists and leaders at the
: state and local levels: inspiration. It is nearly impossible
: to multiply our recruitment if we fail to inspire our base.
: We will inspire the base by remaking the Republican brand into
: a conservative brand as it was in our successful election years
: of 1980, 1984, 1994, and to some degree 2000. A Republican
: brand that is conservative on social issues, conservative on
: fiscal issues, and aggressive in opposing, rather than
: appeasing, the liberal agenda will inspire a new generation of
: conservatives to take a role in the Republican Party.
: By taking strong stands, we will energize and grow our base.
: The next step is to identify these potential supporters. We
: will implement a three step process to identify these new
: supporters.
: 1. We will use microtargeting techniques to identify potential
: new supporters and contact them with traditional political
: means such as personal contact.
: 2. We will identify potential new supporters in the venues in
: which they communicate: Facebook, blogs, emails, Twitter, and
: other social networking venues.
: 3. We will re-establish communication with the College
: Republican National Committee (CRNC). We must find ways to
: properly communicate and work with the future leaders of our
: party. When I am Chairman, our CR's will have the support they
: need to be potent force on our nation's campuses.
: Katon Dawson: See Question 1 regarding Project 3141 and
: Operation eGOP.
: Mike Duncan: In my career, one of my greatest personal
: accomplishments has been my opportunity to serve as a mentor
: to young people across the country. I think there is no better
: investment than the one we make in the next generation.
: Under my tenure as RNC Chairman, we have dramatically increased
: the numbers of activists and leaders that we have trained in
: our Campaign Management programs, our Victory Schools, our
: Campaign Finance Colleges, and our New Media College. When the
: graduates of these programs came together in Georgia to support
: Saxby Chambliss, they all understood all the resources and
: capabilities at their disposal and they all spoke the same
: campaign "language".
: I have recommended that our Political Training programs receive
: increased funding in the RNC budget for 2009 and I am proud that
: the Members of the Budget Committee approved this increase. In
: addition, Partnership 2010 will place a fully trained staff
: member in each state. That individual will work with State
: Party leaders and RNC Members to evaluate the needs of the State
: and local parties and can recommend that individuals participate
: in RNC training programs to ensure that each State Party has
: staff with the right skills to be successful.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: As RNC Chairman, I know that we will not
: find many new party activists within the Washington Beltway. We
: will find these grassroots leaders within each of our fifty
: state parties and within our fervently dedicated online
: communities. With control of the White House, we inevitably
: experienced centralization and concentration of power at the top
: of the party hierarchy. Under my leadership, the national party
: will not sit within its ivory tower dispensing wisdom to our
: state parties and their grassroots supporters. Rather, the RNC
: will serve as a clearinghouse for promoting newer, successful
: ideas implemented at the state level, whether in communication,
: recruitment, voter registration or any other of our myriad
: party activities.
: Michael Steele: I plan to recruit and train 25,000 new
: activist leaders by 2012. To make this army a reality, as
: Chairman, I will:
: * Ask the people who know. I will enlist our state party
: officials and operatives to quickly get the RNC up to speed on
: the lessons learned and best practices in each state for
: recruitment. As the activists most intimately in touch with
: voters, state and local leaders' insights will help the RNC
: ramp up recruitment more rapidly and efficiently.
: * Ask all the people who know. I will lead a 50-state
: recruitment effort to ensure every Republican in every district
: has an opportunity to become a thoughtful and effective
: community leader.
: * Recruit as one. State party and RNC outreach and voter
: registration must work together as one effort. By sharing
: technological investments and protocols we can begin developing
: the tools to harmonize outreach efforts and connect activists
: in a comprehensive and real-time manner.
: * Train to win. Activist enthusiasm and energy has to be fed
: with knowledge and resources. The RNC, under my chairmanship,
: will lead the way in cultivating activists through training
: tailored to their spheres of operation.
: Ambitious change requires time, energy and resources. But,
: with the right people in place, firm goals and a spirit of
: cooperation and collaboration, we will -- from the local level
: on up -- boost volunteer recruitment and programs.
: 34. What are the principal assets you would bring to the
: chairmanship?
: Saul Anuzis:
: Commitment - You won't find a Republican in Michigan that
: doesn't feel that I have given 100% "plus" to growing and
: strengthening our party.
: Energy - I do not let up. I am called the "energizer bunny"
: of Michigan politics because I bring an energy and excitement
: to my role.
: Youth - I represent a new generation of leader. I can
: communicate our conservative ideas with passion but can speak
: the language of young people, using new technologies to reach
: them.
: Leadership - I have the leadership qualities necessary to get
: people to contribute and get people to join our effort.
: Ken Blackwell: The primary resources that I bring to the
: chairmanship are:
: I would come to the position of RNC Chairman as one of the most
: qualified new chairmen in our party's history. My experience as
: Ohio State Treasurer, Secretary of State, Republican nominee
: for Governor, Mayor of Cincinnati and board member for many
: leading conservative organizations would allow me to hit the
: ground running.
: I would also bring the ability to represent our party in the
: media and be a strong, conservative, aggressive counterweight
: to the Obama Administration. I have significant experience on
: Fox News, CNN and MSNBC. I have written for the Washington
: Times and Townhall.com. Simply put, I have more experience
: working with the media than any other candidate and would have
: the ability to take on the Obama Administration without
: hesitation or other considerations.
: I have credibility with national conservative leaders who know
: that I will run a Republican National Committee that will not
: back away from making sharp contrasts with the Obama
: administration on issues important to every segment of our
: conservative coalition including social issues, fiscal issues,
: and national defense.
: This outsider perspective is required to make the big changes
: to the RNC that are necessary. An experienced but
: outside-the-beltway candidate for chairman is the only one who
: can make the changes necessary to restore trust in our party
: and build an energized national committee. A blank slate is
: required and a willingness to offend the status quo where it
: has failed is essential. I have the outsider perspective that
: is necessary to bring about real change.
: I have an understanding of what it takes to win elections in a
: swing state. I have won statewide office in Ohio three times as
: a candidate for Treasurer and Secretary of State. I know how
: campaigns are run both from the candidate side of the equation
: and the activist side of the equation.
: I have experience raising the large amount of resources we need
: for our party to be successful. I raised over $12 million for a
: race for Governor in a very difficult year and have been
: involved in raising money for national conservative
: organizations for years.
: Katon Dawson: I have rebuilt the Republican Party in South
: Carolina from the bottom up. As Party Chairman, I launched an
: unprecedented grassroots political plan to identify and turn
: out Republican voters in record numbers. The results were
: historic. Under my leadership in 2002, Republicans defeated
: an incumbent Democrat governor, kept control of the open U.S.
: Senate seat by electing Lindsey Graham and defeated two
: statewide Democrat officeholders. For the first time since
: 1877, Republicans controlled the governor's office and both
: houses of the General Assembly. What made the wins so notable
: is that I took over the South Carolina Republican Party with
: pre-existing debts of over $300,000 and facing a $160,000 FEC
: fine. It wasn't enough to have a good fundraising plan. I
: actually executed that plan and got the party out of debt. Under
: my leadership, the GOP won an open-Democrat U.S. Senate seat
: with Jim DeMint in 2004. In 2006, South Carolina re-elected
: Republican Gov. Mark Sanford and Republicans took eight out of
: nine constitutional offices in the Palmetto State. And in
: 2008, Republicans in South Carolina again made history by
: electing the first Republican African-American state
: Representative since Reconstruction. In the last four election
: cycles, the South Carolina Republican Party has won 80 percent
: of its races.
: As a member of the Republican National Committee, I have a
: unique understanding of the challenges and issues facing our
: party. My service on the Committee makes me better equipped to
: understand and to listen the needs of my fellow members. As the
: next RNC Chairman, I will empower members and work to ensure
: the RNC is focused on state and local parties. I understand that
: we cannot turn the RNC over to individuals with outside agendas,
: and I know that we need more state-driven solutions to the
: problems facing our Party.
: I am a successful businessman in the real world -- not a lawyer
: or a paid political professional. I am not tied to the
: Washington, D.C. consultant culture. I have never been on
: the payroll of any campaign or lobbying firm. I believe
: consultants and staff work for us and the party not the other
: way around. The 2008 election should have taught us that voters
: are looking for real-world, commonsense solutions. In fact,
: 65 percent of RNC members recently surveyed said winning
: gubernatorial races would help most to build and grow their
: respective state parties. I am from South Carolina, not
: Washington, D.C. I have toiled in the state trenches and know
: what it takes to recruit good candidates and how to build a
: party from the bottom up. I will renew the RNC's focus on state
: parties and work tirelessly to ensure we have the right message,
: the right candidates, and the necessary funds to return our
: party to the majority.
: Mike Duncan: While some in the media have enjoyed telling the
: story of a broken RNC, the truth is that our RNC staff and
: programs performed at record levels. Unfortunately, in 2008,
: that wasn't enough. However, we do not need to start over;
: rather, we need to build on the infrastructure we have to take
: our performance to the next level.
: I bring a business model approach to the role of Chairman.
: Drawing on my experience as a successful small businessman, I
: have insisted that the RNC be able to show a return to our
: investors for every dollar spent. While that may not have
: been popular with consultants or contractors trying to get rich
: off our donors, I believe that every investment we make must
: show dividends at the ballot box.
: I also bring the experience of thirty years as a Member of the
: RNC. I have held almost every position within the Party and I
: continue to be a precinct captain in my hometown. As a
: delegate to the 1976 Convention for Ronald Reagan, I
: understand the underlying principles that drove our Revolutions
: in 1980 and again in 1994.
: I am a nuts and bolts Chairman and I am a Member's Chairman.
: I understand that the work of the National Party depends on
: more than flash or rhetorical flourishes. I enjoy the hard work
: and behind-the-scenes innovation that are crucial to Republican
: successes. I have a proven ability to raise money, the
: experience to manage the huge organization that is the RNC, and
: the knowledge of how to use our resources for maximum results.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: I believe that the next Chairman of the
: RNC must be an experienced fundraiser, a capable communicator,
: and an effective political organizer and strategist. I believe
: the next Chairman should not only have experience running a
: national political organization or campaign, but also proven
: success at the state level. As Chairman of the Tennessee
: Republican Party, campaign manager for a Republican
: presidential campaign, and business owner, I believe I'm
: ready to guide the coming resurgence of our Republican Party.
: Michael Steele: Many Republicans first came to know me
: through some of my media appearances. I feel fortunate to have
: had a very positive relationship with the media and even more
: fortunate to have found that the passion I have for our
: movement resonates so strongly with Republicans all over the
: country. Certainly, I plan to continue leveraging that
: communications connection.
: What some Republicans may not realize, though, is what it is
: that feeds the energy that seems to have become my hallmark.
: While others talk about returning to the grassroots, I've
: quite simply never left. I've always felt our "on the ground"
: operations were what kept us connected to the voters and what
: put Republicans in office. Grassroots networks will continue
: to be the source of our best ideas and our most promising
: opportunities.
: It's been tremendously satisfying, then, to have led GOPAC for
: almost 2 years now, coordinating with and supporting state and
: local Republican candidates. As GOPAC Chair, we raised more
: money in the 2008 cycle than in any other in GOPAC's history
: more than $8 million dollars for our state parties, legislative
: caucuses and legislative candidates.
: I've also campaigned personally for Republican candidates in
: more than a dozen states this year in addition to the states I
: visited on behalf of our presidential nominee. In stumping for
: these Republicans on the frontlines and fundraising in every
: conceivable corner of the country, I have had the opportunity
: to work closely with a diversity of Republican leaders. I've
: worked with Republican leaders from Vermont to Vidalia, leaders
: tagged as "traditionalist" and those characterized as
: "reformist." I bring to this post an appreciation for the
: nuances across the spectrum of political thought and ideology;
: but most importantly, a firm understanding of the principles
: that unite us.
: 35. What are your deficiencies, and how would you organize the
: RNC to make up for those deficiencies?
: Saul Anuzis: I'm not a "Washington insider" and therefore lack
: some of the institutional knowledge. But I am a quick study and
: because I'm not "married" to a particular way of doing things,
: I am willing to make necessary changes. I will seek input from
: party leaders, conservative leaders and smart people all across
: the country to get the job done.
: Ken Blackwell: While I have not been a member of the
: Republican National Committee, I strongly argue that the
: members should choose the person who they believe would be our
: best leader against the Obama Administration regardless of
: current membership.
: I understand that awareness of the workings of the committee
: is important. For that reason, I will bring in a team of RNC
: Members to serve as my deputies and assist me in the workings
: of the committee. After my election as Chairman, I hope RNC
: Members will support candidates for the position of
: Co-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer who are current members
: of the committee because I recognize the importance of
: institutional committee knowledge.
: Katon Dawson: I believe my record of winning elections,
: fundraising, being an effective communicator and expanding our
: Party's base in South Carolina qualify me for RNC Chairman. But
: more importantly, I am a better listener than I am a talker. I
: believe the deficiency that has plagued the RNC and other
: Washington-based party committees is that Washington doesn't do
: enough listening. As RNC Chairman, RNC members and state
: parties would know first and foremost I want to hear THEIR
: opinions first, since they are on the ground working fighting
: the good fight every day. I believe an RNC that listens to its
: local team first will be able to better prepare for the
: curveballs that are thrown our way in politics.
: Mike Duncan: My main deficiency is that I cannot be everywhere
: at once. To make up for that limitation, I am devoted to a
: Speakers Bureau so the Republican message can be heard far and
: wide. I am dedicated to Partnership 2010, so the RNC resources
: will be available full-time in every state. And, I am
: dedicated to a Member-driven Committee to make sure every RNC
: member can contribute to the future success of our Party.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: My deficiencies are many. But I
: recognize that effective leaders are confident and thoughtful
: enough to surround themselves with the best and brightest minds
: and the hardest working people capable of carrying out a
: strategic vision. As RNC Chairman, I will assemble a fresh
: team of energetic conservatives who share our core values and
: who are ready to roll up their sleeves to help rebuild our
: party one day at a time.
: Michael Steele: As a county chairman, a state chairman, a
: candidate and as an elected official, I've had the opportunity
: to view the RNC through various lenses and can bring a local
: activist's and state candidate's sensibilities to the
: chairmanship. Yet, that alone will not be enough. No one
: person's experiences will be enough to transform the RNC. To
: bring as much insight and wisdom into our operations as
: possible, I will build strong bridges to state party officials
: and develop a seasoned staff who will support my efforts to
: create build a party unified in message but also in operation.
: 36. Do you think we need an institutionally strong chairman, or
: do you favor a team approach at the RNC?
: Saul Anuzis: I will be a strong chairman that relies on a team
: to get the job done. But I believe that the buck stops with me.
: Ken Blackwell: Both. I favor both an institutionally strong
: Chairman who takes a team approach to running the RNC. RNC
: Members will have more say in the process of running the
: committee than national consultants. This would allow a number
: of people to be involved in the workings of the committee yet
: allow a strong Chairman to lead the team and to present a
: counterweight to the Obama administration especially in the
: media.
: Katon Dawson: The RNC Chairman will be one of many faces of
: the Republican Party. We need to find new messengers to deliver
: our message at the right time and through the right medium. My
: bid for RNC Chairman is the capstone for my involvement in
: Republican Party politics. I am not seeking this office because
: I want to run for public office or to gain national notoriety.
: I am running for RNC Chairman because I believe my record of
: results and commitment to conservative principles can help
: reform, restore and renew the Republican Party to prominence.
: Mike Duncan: We need a chairman who understands the
: institution of the party, and puts the reputation of the
: institution ahead of his own personal agenda. I believe the
: programs I have described make clear my belief in a team approach,
: with a Chairman promoting the message and protecting the integrity
: the institution while at the same time appreciating our future
: success depends on the involvement of RNC Members, Republican
: surrogates, and conservative organizations.
: More than two hundred years ago, our founding fathers recognized
: that no one individual possessed the skills necessary for their
: success. Rather, they knew that they needed the skills of many
: people to establish our democracy. Similarly, the RNC needs the
: participation of all of our fellow RNC Members to be successful.
: That is why I have called for the RNC to return to being a
: Member-driven Committee. We have countless skills and talents on
: our Committee and our cause is too important for any of us to sit
: on the sidelines.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: I believe that the RNC needs a strong and
: capable team behind a strong chairman. I also know the most
: important component of this team will be the 168 committee members
: who will choose the Chairman and hold him or her accountable.
: Michael Steele: Even the most venerable of institutions can become
: lethargic, intransigent, and overly impressed with itself. With as
: much work as we have ahead of us, we cannot afford to be any of the
: above! I propose that the most effective RNC would be one that
: views itself and organizes itself as a conduit for action,
: knowledge, and resources. Designed to support Republican
: candidates and activists in all 50 states, the RNC I seek to lead
: would work as a team in order to harvest the very best ideas and
: the brightest talent from across the nation. But let me be clear,
: my expectation of the membership as their Chairman is that they be
: prepared to roll up their sleeves and work to strengthen and expand
: this Movement. This great work of ours will be difficult. It will
: be frustrating. And it will require 21st Century leadership.
: 37. What are you personally doing now to help Saxby Chambliss win
: re-election in Georgia?
: Saul Anuzis: We have deployed over a dozen staff from Michigan to
: travel to Georgia to assist in the Chambliss runoff.
: I personally sent a letter to all our major donors asking for
: direct contributions to the Chambliss effort.
: We have urged our congressional district and county organizations
: and others to either send additional volunteers to GA and/or make
: volunteer calls from here.
: I also made a personal contribution to the Senator's efforts.
: Ken Blackwell: I entered the race for chairman after Saxby's
: election and am filling out this form after his election.
: Katon Dawson: See above.
: Mike Duncan: The RNC's role in US Senator Chambliss' run-off
: election was crucial, and acknowledged as such by Senator Chambliss
: himself. We literally hit the ground running in Georgia, supplying
: manpower, technology and financial resources across the entire
: state when other organizations could not. I personally spent time
: in Georgia, working with volunteers and campaigning with Senator
: Chambliss. Our effort in Georgia proved that we still know how to
: win elections, and was the first shot fired in the 2010 campaign
: cycle.
: John "Chip" Saltsman: As Georgia's committee members can testify,
: I was actively engaged in important voter mobilization efforts to
: help Senator Chambliss secure his decisive victory in the run-off
: with Jim Martin.
: Michael Steele: Saxby Chambliss is a wonderful example of a
: Senator who represents and fights for the values and real time
: concerns of his constituency. To support his reelection campaign I
: focused on getting that message out o the real voters of Georgia
: both in national but, more importantly, in local media. As a party
: we need to focus on the people who live and work in our districts.
: We need to speak to them directly and we need to facilitate their
: grassroots and turnout. This was a message that aligned to the
: Senator's strategy and helped Republicans bring a strong senator
: back to Washington for 6 more years.
Mark Reiff
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