Steve's Plan To Reenergize The Party

1) Be true to our principles while still being inclusive.

For years the GOP has embraced big tent strategy. On a national level this has worked very effectively. It's only reasonable that we not expect every Republican to think the same way about every issue. However on a local level, the "Big Tent" policy of inclusion has lead to the marginalization of the conservative, activist base of the party. We have a wide range of ideas in Massachusetts GOP and everyone deserves to heard and respected. Moreover, the GOP has certain core principles that distinguish us from the Democrats who are completely controlled by the radical left. We will never attract the radical left to our party and it's a fools mission to attempt to do so. On the other hand, there are hundreds of thousands of Democrats who are disenfranchised because they've lost control of their party. Although they may not be willing to leave their "ancestral political home", they are more than willing to cross over and vote for a Republican who offers them real alternative to the ultra-liberal insanity that produces ideas such as: in-state tuition for illegal aliens or allowing "transvestites" or "transgendered persons" to choose which public restrooms, locker rooms, and showers to use.

2) Building from the bottom up:

For any major league baseball team to be successful in the long-term, it has to have a great farm system. This means developing young talent and bringing it up through the ranks. The same holds through for a political party.

Massachusetts is not as "Blue or as Liberal" as people would have us believe. In fact this state voted for Ronald Reagan twice. From 1990 to 2006 we elected Republican Governors. And of course in 2010 the people of Massachusetts elected Scott Brown, a Republican to the seat held for decades by Ted Kennedy.

In spite of this track record, Democrats dominate our state legislature. In the General Court, Republicans control 21% of the seats and in the State Senate it's only 10%. This doesn't have to be this way. Just look at he election results for the races Republicans lose. We still get in the vicinity of 40% of the vote, give or take. Often times it's a lot closer. While there is no glory in losing a close race, the numbers tell us Republicans represent a respectable plurality of thought that is not being properly represented on Beacon Hill.

The reason Beacon Hill is dominated by Democrats is that Democrats also dominate our city and town governments. And yet that is the easiest place for a Republican to get elected, simply because the elections are non-partisan. And this is where Steve proposes we need to start focusing more our energy and resources. We need to elect Republican mayors, City Councilor, Selectman, School Committee members, and Town Meeting members. Running candidates for local office allows them to make a name for themselves as Councilors or the Mayors who served their constituents well. Thus when they go to run for higher office, people will be voting for the person who has served them well already. And that is huge advantage in this state with so many unenrolled voters. Another benefit to running candidates for local offices is that it builds the party's apparatus. People working on local campaigns learn how to campaign, they learn how to become activists, get involved and remain involved. The same folks that help elect Republican Mayoral candidate, can be called back into service the following year when there is a Republican running for State or Federal office. The same voters that are identified in an off year municipal election can be targeted in the following year in State or Federal Elections.

This is what Steve means by developing a farm team. It's not that we shouldn't run candidates for upper offices. But we need to build from the bottom up in order to have a long-term strategy. All the work and research that is put in to one campaign should bear fruit in other campaigns as well. Every election or campaign should always be a building block that helps the next candidate or Republican effort to come along.

3) Targeting offices that are Republican friendly

Republicans are known as the party that respects and promotes the rule of law. So even in a Democrat dominated state like Massachusetts, people still view Republicans the party that would keep them safer, enforce the law, and less likely to let criminals walk in the name of "Political Correctness." Therefore we have a natural advantage when it comes to certain elected offices such as District Attorney, Sheriff, and Governor's Councilors. Finding Candidates to run for these offices should be a top priority in the next election.

4) Building an organization

Developing and electing candidates is not enough and in fact it won't be possible if we don't build an organization. Too many Town and City Committees aren't organized. In some municipalities they hardly exist. That is why it is important to take a more regional approach. Committees in cities and towns that are organized have to reach out to neighboring communities and help get Republican Committees established.

Alliances with Tea Parties, College Republicans, and other conservative organizations need to be forged at a local level.

On the municipal level, there needs to be a sharing of resources. For example: Towns typically hold their municipal elections in the Spring, while Cities hold their elections in the November. This means neighboring City Committees need help Town Committees elect Republicans in the Spring. The reverse should happen in the fall. This is so obvious, so simple, so common sense. Yet it is not happening. As a State Committeeman this is one of the first things Steve will promote and implement in his district and he will encourage others to the same.

Steve believes this strategy; along with a hard work, will reenergize Massachusetts Republicans. When rank and file Republicans begin to taste victory at the local level, they will be encouraged to do more, give more, and we will see party enrollment go up. But Republicans need to be willing to take the same free market approach to politics as we espouse regarding our careers. We need to start at the bottom and work our way up. Not that we want to make the MA-GOP a party full of career politicians. But our Republican candidates do need to prove themselves as public servants. That may mean a willingness to run for "Dog Catcher" in order to gain the public's trust.