Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Hmmm... GOP in Hemorrhage Mode

Say what you will about former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, but when it comes to having a finger on the pulse for modern-day politics... they don't get any better than him.

Talking heads, pundits, and some GOP leaders were highly critical of Mr. Gingrich last week as he warned that the Republican party could witness "decisive losses this November” if they didn't change course immediately. Proving once again that he was "spot-on"... the Republicans lost yet another Congressional seat that had long been an established Republican seat. And this loss is so significant because it happened in north Mississippi.

What? With $1.3 million dollars spent by the national Republican Congressional Committee on negative advertisements on behalf of the GOP contender; endorsements by Mississippi's senior Senator Thad Cochran, and Mississippi's governor and former RNC Chairman Haley Barbour ... plus a drop-in visit to north Mississippi by Vice President Dick Cheney to inspire the party faithful. It is obvious that the Republican message ain't working.

According to Mr. Gingrich, "... the Republican brand has been so badly damaged that if Republicans try to run an anti-Obama, anti-Rev. Wright or, if Sen. Clinton wins, anti-Clinton campaign, they are simply going to fail. This model has already been tested with disastrous results."

Republicans are in hemorrhage mode... and need better find a way to broaden the GOP tent; shape a message that tells the American people "what's good about the Republican candidate as opposed to what's bad about their opponent"; and, lastly... get to raising money, money, and more money––quick!

4 comments:

Vivian Berryhill said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I think that in the three special House races (Il, La and MS), several things have happened. First, Republican voters are mad at their own party for letting them down. Congressional Republicans have spent too much money. We are supposed to be a party of fiscal conservatism. Our meembers have had personal scandals. We are suposed to be a party of family values. Second, we have managed in all three cases to nominate weak candidates, while the D's have nominated strong candidates. I suspect that this is a result of diminished participation in our primaries and increased participation in theirs, but don't have enough information to make a final judgment on that point. Diminished participation would leave the nomination to a candidate without broad appeal, whose primary victory was achieved by reaching a small segment of the small primary turnout. Third, the national campaign people have, as is often the case, messed up. They are trying to "nationalize" an election in which our party has a deficit in generic polling of 15% or more! the correct strategy is not to talk about Pelosi, Obama, or Clinton--but to talk about the local and personal. Those candidates who try to nationalize the issue by reference to Wahsington will lose, those who stick to local concerns will win.

Finally, having a Republican President with a 28% approval rating doesn't help.




John

Anonymous said...

The district [in Mississippi] is more “conservative” than it is “republican”. Party ID isn’t where we need to be to be successful against a so-called conservative democrat. For the first time in his career, childers now has to cast a vote and take a definite stance on issues (although I can not imagine Pelosi actually having her congress deal with any issue of substance for remainder of year). however, childers is now a super-delegate. Davis clearly must refine message and begin process of establishing his narrative to NE Mississippi. With bloody primary (and runoff) then right into special (and runoff) he never had the opportunity to do so. Everyone take a deep breath and stay focused on November. Non partisan special elections are rough enough. I think you will see an energized base and campaign from davis for the fall.

Chris W.

Anonymous said...

My fellow Republicans, we have truly lost our way. The GOP says one thing and then they do another. They say their the party of family values but from the looks of things we have more folks who subscribe to being log cabins or adultery. Please folks these guys must make up their minds, which is it? We say we want outreach and then we close the doors to opportunity. We say we don't want illegal immigrations but yet the Corporations hire illegal immigrants. You can't have it both ways folk...