FLASHREPORT

REPUBLICANS SHOULD LOOK IN A MIRROR WHEN LOOKING FOR ANSWERS TO TUESDAY'S LOSS

Insurance Commissioner and candidate for Governor Steve Poizner

If you are new to the FlashReport, please check out the main site and the acclaimed FlashReport Weblog on California politics.

 It’s no secret that Republicans across the nation took a beating on Tuesday.   As the magnitude of this loss sinks in, some may find it therapeutic to cast blame on the economy, a biased media, being grossly outspent or other external factors.  If we do, we do so at our own peril. 

Tuesday’s outcome was not so much a Democrat victory as it was a Republican defeat.

America elected as its next president an inexperienced candidate whose entire campaign did little more than offer rhetorical “hope” and promise undefined “change.”  Why did this message resonate?   To find the answer we need to look in the mirror.

Republicans proudly proclaim our core governing principles to be individual freedom, smaller government, lower taxes and economic policies that promote investment and job creation. Voters who closely examine what happened in Washington D.C. over the past eight years, however, certainly didn’t see this.  What they saw was a Republican track record of runaway spending, skyrocketing deficits and shameful ethical lapses. On Tuesday, it is clear Republicans were judged on their actions, not their words.  For this we can only blame ourselves. 

And while the Democrats controlled Congress for the past two years, they largely got a pass from the voters.  It may not be fair, but it happened.

So where do we go from here? 

There are some who argue that Republicans must abandon our core beliefs if we are to succeed.  I cannot disagree more.  Our future electoral success depends upon several things – the most important of which is a return to our conservative principles.

There should be little doubt about this.  Republicans from Teddy Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan were successful because their administrations were guided by these very principles.  And when we have deviated from them (“read my lips: no new taxes”) we have been shown the door.  The lesson here is clear.

It is essential that Republicans once again offer viable solutions to the challenges facing our state and nation.  We must draw a clear contrast between our vision and that of the Democrat majorities.  And most of all, we must govern with principle and integrity.  If we are to regain the public’s trust, we must provide a dynamic and compelling alternative. 

But returning to our roots is just one part of the solution.  In California we must also work on “blocking and tackling.”  It is imperative that we devote attention and resources to revitalizing our party operations from the bottom up – especially with regard to registering and connecting with voters. 

Numbers recently released by the Secretary of State’s office show that in the 2008 election cycle Republicans lost ground in competitive districts.  We paid the price for this on Election Day.   Simply put, we cannot let this happen again. 

Additionally, Republican campaigns have historically had stronger organization and voter contact programs than our opponents. Tuesday’s election results show that, in this regard, we were beat at our own game.  We must redouble our efforts in this area.  We must seek to identify the best operational methods and maximize the use of cutting-edge technology.  We must be the best in these areas. Period.

Party-building activities are not “seasonal” – they must be ongoing.  And it is incumbent on Republican leaders to ensure that the focus and resources exist to make this happen.  Over the past two years I have done more than 75 events for the CRP, congressional, legislative and local candidates, and local Republican organizations to help raise money, register voters and promote the Republican message.  My goal is to do even more in the next two years.  I will also work with other Republican leaders to rebuild our party’s infrastructure.

Our future success will require a return to, and focus on, core Republican principles.  And it will also require a lot of hard work.  In defeat there is opportunity.  And we must seize this opportunity.  If we start now, we can ensure that 2010 and 2012 will be the start of a Republican resurgence.