One of the more popular topics that I’ve been seeing on right-of-center blogs is the race for Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Despite the fact that the decision will be made by 168 RNC members, there is a lot of ongoing debate about who should be the next person to lead the Republican Party.
Full disclosure: I have publicly endorsed Saul Anuzis for chairman, and I’m working with a great team of folks, including David All, Eric Odom, and Justin Hart to build a winning coalition for Saul. However, NextGenGOP itself is not endorsing any of the candidates.
So what we want to know is: who do you (or don’t you) support to take the reins as the next RNC Chair? Why? What do you think should be the priority of the new RNC Chairman over the next two years?
Also, what do you think about the election process in which only RNC Members can vote for the RNC Chair? If you disagree with it, what alternative do you suggest?
Please share your thoughts and comments on this important question!
Last 5 posts by Aaron Marks
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Michael Steele seems very connected to politicians and those high up in the GOP and, frankly, he is African-American, which could help the GOP in the image department.
That guy who runs the RNC now, whoever he is, needs to be drawn and quartered at the RNC chairman election, not reelected himself.
Saul Anuzis seems to be connected to the grassroots more through his use of Twitter and other Web 2.0 ventures and comes closest to understanding the need for the use of these tools in 2010 and 2012 elections.
I have read as much as I can, including their position papers, but I am sure I have only touched the surface. Two questions that really bother me and concern me about the person who gets elected are:
1. What will the role be of College Republicans and Young Repubicans organizaions in the RNC movement to get grassroots support and who, who, who will be the direct liaison(s) from the RNC to each individual CR and YR chapter nationwide?
2. What will the exact, specific, role be of each of the other candidates when the winning person is elected chair?
Answers to these two questions will determine my vote. Good answers, that is.
At this time the GOP needs Michael Steele. We need a chair that is media savvy to become the face and voice of this party. Someone who understands the need for training the next generation of Republican leaders. Steele has done this at GOPAC. If we are going to regain a majority in congress, governorships, and state houses, and also regain the White House we need a chair that will put things in order. Someone that understands that while web tools are important they are not the only reform we need. We need to use the tools we have but do not utilize. The RNC does not need a think tank Mr. Duncan. We have the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute to name a few. We have GOPAC to help train candidates. We need to arrange our side so each group has a role and keeps their role moving strong. We need to arrange our silo’s. Steele’s blueprint for the party is a great read and has made me a supporter of his. I urge all 168 RNC voters to do what is right and elect Michael Steele our next chairman.
As I am a conservative, I am concerned by the “pragmatic” decision to abandon conservative candidtes this passed election cycle.
I’m concerned about the accounting standards because of the theft of funds hence I look for a person who has CEO capabilities and knows how to husband our donations and translate that into winning campaigns by reiterating candidate’s message.
It would be even more effective if the many conservative single issue 527s also coordinate in States that clearly need their focus.
We need penetration on a Federal, State. Local and School Board level because all levels of government need to be reduced. Truly competative markets need to be recreated to remove the insertion of gov’t and to rebuild the economy.
The Chair should be able to articulate why everyone should give to both their candidates and to the Party.
Well, while Saul is a good spokesperson and good with the internet, his record speaks for iteself…a lot of infighting, unsuccessful candidates for Governor and President, losses in two Congressional seats, the State House going froma 58 seat majority to a 43 seat weak minority, and a decrease in State Senate seats…oh yea…we are in weak financial shape. This guy can present himself well, but he should NOT be promoted. If he does for the country what he has done for Michigan, our party will be done for years.
The RNC needs a new face, somebody that will change the damaged image of the republican party, and somebody that does not represent the moderate to liberal values that members of the party are starting to represent.
Being from Maryland, I may be a bit biased. However, I have seen what Michael Steele has done for this state working with Michael Steele, and he has performed wonderfully at two national conventions now. This man is a rising star in the party, and we need to help him by helping ourselves and putting him in charge of the RNC. He is the new voice we need.
I say Michael Steele. We need new leadership, we need someone tech. savvy, we need someone who understands the challenges of the Republican Party. Duncan is not getting it done!
I support Michael Steele. He has shown leadership and is a true conservative.
Micheal Steele! We need a RNC chair that all republicans and democrats know of, and able to bring the best opposition. This is Micheal Steele! He also has a a lot of great ideas for the future of the party and I am helping to get him RNC chair!
You posted the following three questions on Facebook regarding this forum question:Who do you (or don’t you) support? What do you think should be the priority of the new RNC Chairman over the next two years? What do you think about the election process in which only RNC Members can vote for the RNC Chair?
Last question first For those who are active in the Republican Party, we clearly understand the RNC bylaws and obviously we know who can and cannot vote for the RNC Chair. Allowing others outside of the RNC Members to vote on the chairman would be like liberals wanting illegal aliens to be able to vote for president. I find it interesting that some of those supporting Saul Anuzis for chairman are libertarians who are not identified with the Republican party. This alone would give me pause as to voting for Saul. When people outside of the GOP advocate for a person then I see an agenda outside of the principles and stated beliefs and platform of the Republican party.
Currently, I favor two individuals: Michael Steele and Ken Blackwell. Their willingness to continually stand and clearly for Conservative beliefs and principles in the past even when verbally attacked and abused by members of their own race and by RINO republicans or by those with agendas other than the broadly stated conservative principles of the Republican Party.
However, I also support them because either of them could accomplish the following critical items needed to Rebuild the Republican Party during an Obama administration without being labeled extreme Republican racists.
A major concern is growth! However, the RNC does not need to sacrifice one of the wings of the conservatism to grow the party. What we need is a RNC Chair who can clearly and repeatedly articulate the conservative Republican position while standing on issues in the middle of liberal controlled Washinton, D.C. It definitely should not matter if the person knows and is friends with democrats. This is not a friendship position but a leadership position representing republicans and the republican message. In addition, the RNC Chair should not owe allegiance to just one or two wings of the conservative movement but should broadly and effectively advocate for all aspects of the conservative movement and the stated party platform approved by its members and the stated principles and beliefs of the National Republican Party.
With the exception of the Republican National Convention 08, the previous RNC chair and executive staff were not active or effective in working with the conservative new media (bloggers and others). The RNC has constantly tried to retain control of all media and have not broadly communicated with new media conservative activists who are active in Web 2.0 social networking via FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace, Ning groups, Google groups and more. The result is an expanding conservative network outside of the RNC.
We need an RNC Chair who we can trust is committed to the Rebuilding the Republican Party while NOT using the RNC as a stepping stone to public political office and who is not controlled by the an elected politician as existed under the current President and his advisors.
When the RNC delegates pick the next RNC, will they select someone who is a standard bearer of repeated activities and procedures that do little to advance Republicanism or will they select someone that support the the RNC taking stands on critical issues, in the RNC rebuilding the party, in the RNC aiding States in developing future candidates, and an RNC expanding its relationships and standings throughout the United States? Most active party members want to see a revitalized party, but leadership does not occur in a vacuum. We need a new chair that can competently communicate Republican principles, take clear and concise competent stands on issues, and can work with the new media talent to advance the Republican Party. If this does not occur, the RNC is doomed to revisit this issue again and again or remain a minority party in D.C.
I am a staunch conservative and I think that Saul Anuzis and Michael Steele are wonderful men. I wish to warn that anyone who wishes to alienate the Constitutional branch of the GOP in order to attract Reagan and Hillary Clinton Dems are on a road to destruction. I have heard that the GOP had lost a full 30% of conservative voters during the McCain debacle due to the attempt to gain independents and the afore mentioned Dems. The GOP needs to return to its roots which are small government, Christian values, governmental non-intervention, laissez faire economics, sound money and Constitutional government. We need to get away from the false environmentalism, warmongering, big government, the nanny state, debt-based capital (money based on speculation of debt repayment), bail outs and return to a Ronald Reagan style foreign policy with a true capitalistic overture and governmental respect for the Constitution which forms it. These are the qualities of the people who vote in the U.S. This is the formula for success, not Neo-Conservatism, which is really Pseudo-Conservatism, fiscal liberalism and social conservatism. This is also known as Fascism. Benito Mussolini would be proud of us in these last few years.
I believe the man for the job is Ken Blackwell. I know Steele was first out of the gate and many were quick to hop on the bandwagon, in part due to the sense of need for an ethnic minority, as well as the fact the he is telegenic and presents well. But I am very uncomfortable with the manner in which he threw President Bush under the bus during his 2006 race for the U.S. Senate (and I am certainly no cheerleader for Bush); and secondly, his involvement with some groups (such as Christie Whitman’s), whose allegiances are troubling.
Ken Blackwell represents the heart and soul of the Republican Party, and he is every bit as articulate as Mr. Steele, and yes for what it’s worth he’s African American (although that shouldn’t matter).
Whoever the chairman ends up being, that person needs to lead a complete overhaul of the Party. As a local committeeman who also attends many state committee meetings in PA, I have practically written a book on what has brought our party down. Here are some of the more salient points: local committee and state committee terms should be two years. The lazy in our party succeeded in extending them to four years because they didn’t want to be bothered to have to circulate petitions every two years (nevermind that US Reps must do the same). Second, we must do away with the unholy practice of “proxy voting” which encourages laziness and absentee participation. Lastly, we need to reform the sham endorsement processes that we have throughout our party. We should encourage more open primaries, and if for some reason we feel compelled to endorse, the process should have integrity, including a supermajority for endorsement, and a rugged screening process for candidates. Typically, someone in PA can earn a local party or state party endorsement without ever being asked any questions whatsoever about their positions, or without having their record scrutinized. That must end. Now. We can absorb ourselves with technology and hiring the best looking and most articulate people, but until we get back to the fundamentals, we’ll keep losing and losing badly.
(1) It will be very important for the next RNC Chairperson to be open to hearing from the ‘everyman’ RNC member. It has been very discouraging to many not to feel like they truly have a voice – that decisions/agendas are constructed and we are all simply expected to go along, rather than to be a part of the development of an agenda/position.
(2) We as a party need to get back to the basics of our party – a promotion of smaller government, personal liberty and responsibility, preserving, protecting and promoting the Constitution in every aspect of legislation and government operation, a promotion of quality in government programs and swift and sure consequences for those in government who are wasteful, fraudulent, or neglegent.
(3) Also, one of my pet peeves in this electronic age is the huge amount of color photo quality print materials I get in the mail from the RNC – I always feel like every penny I’ve donated comes back to me in printed (and wasteful) materials trying to get me to donate more. I’m already on the team, and except for the one color photo of the President and First Lady each year, (which is something I appreciate getting). I’d love for that money to go to the undecided voter and be used more productively….learn the lessons of the 2008 election cycle with the internet and maximizing free or almost free ad space.
(4) We are a more diverse party than we are given credit for and this needs to be maximized.
(5) Let’s not keep trying to retread candidates – some fresh strong candidates at the local, state, and federal level will help us build our party back into the majority. Let’s find some more people Like Mike Pense, Bobby Jindall, and Sarah Palin…people of character, committment, and passion for quality public service.
(6) January 1, 2009, as the new Congress is sworn in we need to be ready to be an effective party – even if we can’t win on certain legislative battles, we have got to take positions, fight the good fight (and know what that good fight is). I’d like to see weekly, even daily conference calls that the ‘everyman’ RNC member can participate – even daily online polls with a commentws section…so you are getting actual timely feedback.
(7) I’d like to see a discussion for instance on health care reform that is not simply focused on health insurance. Tom Daschell is reaching out are we creating a forum to put together effective programs. So far, the agenda has not focused on anything except the old agenda items…which obviously are not working for us as a party or for the American people. Simply posting a position is not the way to go, interaction online is key.
Welll, there are my 7 cent’s worth.