Republicans urged to ’emphasize local issues,’ avoid nationalizing campaigns

June 29, 2008

When Republicans lost three special election House races this year, in three traditionally “red” districts held by Republicans, the party thought it might be a good time to re-think its election-year strategy. The original plan was to nationalize the elections, tie Democratic House candidates to Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, and scream “liberal!” a whole lot.

That, obviously, wasn’t much of a plan, and when it failed in a place like Mississippi, Republicans realized it was time for a re-evaluation. Now, conservative candidates are being urged to follow a very different tack.

A new playbook for House Republicans urges them to run essentially as independents, showing empathy for voters, emphasizing local issues and ignoring many traditional party campaign practices.

The advice for House candidates is part of an effort to minimize Republican losses in a year when voters are exasperated by the economy, the Iraq war and President Bush:

“Encourage Republican candidates to establish themselves in a personal manner, emphasizing local issues whenever possible.”

The playbook added that Republican candidates should “develop an issues matrix that is different than in years past.” The party lost its special elections in the spring because its candidates failed to successfully establish “themselves and their local brand in contrast to the negative perception of the national GOP.”

To summarize, the message is effectively, “Stop doing what we’ve been doing,” which, given the Republicans’ minority status — the House Republican caucus is down to 199 members — is probably a good idea.

It’s striking, though, to see the advice in action. In some instances, Republicans no longer even want to tell voters which party they belong to.

Eric Kleefeld had a report from Washington state, where some statewide Republican candidates are running “without that pesky R-word next to their names.”

This was made possible by the recent adoption of a new electoral system for the state, known as “Top-Two.” All candidates will run on the same ballot, and the top two will go to a runoff election, regardless of party. The tricky part is that each candidate will get to choose the party label next to their name.

All of this means a Republican can list himself as something else — and one of the two candidates even acknowledged to us that he’s doing so precisely because he knows the GOP brand is lethal.

Dino Rossi, the 2004 Republican nominee for governor, is choosing to run as “GOP Party” for his second try. Then there’s Curt Fackler, the county Republican chairman in their stronghold area of Spokane County — he’s running for insurance commissioner as an independent, or “No Party Preference”!

So do they think the Republican brand is a drag on their electoral chances? “You know, I really do,” Fackler told Election Central over the phone. “Unfortunately, in the urban areas of Seattle, I think at least 30% or 40% will not vote for a Republican. It doesn’t matter who they are.”

This really is embarrassing. It couldn’t have happened to a more appropriate group of candidates.

A new playbook for House Republicans urges them to run essentially as independents, showing empathy for voters, emphasizing local issues

In other words, promise to bring home the pork. You gotta love it.

  • I like the “Top Two” concept.

    As far as the GOP goes, this might be easier if the candidates receive little or no help from the RNC. Do we know how likely this is?

  • Here in Colorado, the guy who is running against Mark Udall for the vacant Senate seat (his name escapes me) is running ads that don’t mention his party affiliation. This has been going on for weeks. It was the first thing I noticed when I saw the ad.

    Apparently, he loves America, or something.

  • In some heavily Republican areas of Oklahoma, Democrats have been running for years as “stealth” candidates – no party identification on their campaign materials. It’s as if they were ashamed of being Democrats. No wonder they always lost – they didn’t fool Republican voters, and the Democratic voters couldn’t get very enthusiastic about them.

    These “stealth” Republicans, running on behalf of an anonymous party, should meet with about the same level of success as our one-time stealth Democrats – very little. But it’s different for them. They aren’t just downplaying their “brand” – they’re running away from it.

    Voters won’t be fooled. Not this time. Not this year.

  • And let’s not forget Blue Dog Democrats who are just Republicans running as Democrats. And then there is whatever the hell Lieberman is.

  • This reminds me of that inevitable line in old gangster movies: “We gotta’ lay low until this thing blows over.”
    You might think that having to conceal their party affiliation would lead to some soul searching by the Republicans. Nope. Don’t examine your behaviors or your ideas boys, just find a fall guy or two and blame the rest of your problems on the liberal media or bad breaks. Once this thing blows over you’ll be riding high again. Trust me.

  • Meanwhile, members of Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature (known officially as “Senators”) are elected on nonpartisan ballots, and have been since the pecuilar was introduced in 1934.

    In Minnesota, a nonpartisan ballot was used for Legislative races between 1913 and 1974, when party affiliation again became the rule; however, the political distinctions on the ballot paper were “Conservative” and “Liberal.”

    Meanwhile, did you notice this item from The Atlantic about GOP designs to conduct a more sub rosa approach to electoral fraud, trick and deception? I’ve taken the liberty of sharing it with the FBI, as such may be of interest to them; I would encourage others like-minded to do so.

  • AMNESTY IS COMING! AMNESTY IS COMING!
    You have read the newspapers?
    Either Senator Obama or McCain, once they step into the White House, are going to relentlessly push for a path to citizenship, for the estimated 30 + million plus illegal aliens and families. Even Mrs. Clinton will demand a green card for everybody here. It’s going to cost you! Cost you dearly in even more government handouts! More than you ever suspected? You know the predator employers are not paying anything extra for their up-keep. All the little politicians, Governors, Mayors are all going to genuflect to the new potential voters. Like the Europe Union you will become the second class citizens, as new legalized immigrants get priority. It has happened in England and it’s going to happen here! The Democrats are hiding from the federal SAVE ACT (H.R.4088), because it will add more ruthless power to the 1986 enforcement bill.
    Without the SAVE ACT, the consequences are unthinkable. Millions more patiently waiting in third world countries, will sweep down on through the perforated border fence and drown us in a economic disaster. Demand the SAVE ACT! (2022243121 ) Go here for the unsuppressed truth. Not what the liberal biased media tells you. NUMBERSUSA.

  • Shorter Britannicass: HELP! HELP! THE SCARY BROWN PEOPLE ARE COMING TO GET US!!!

    Gee, Brit, I guess you don’t have anybody to vote for this time then. Better write in David Duke. Or better yet, just stay home.

  • Sorry Britannicus, but I won’t be worried about this threat until you guys start telling us the number is at least 100 million Mexicans, and that along with Super-Citizenship papers (which grants them more powers than normal citizens), our politicians will be giving them all copies of “To Serve Americans” which will turn out to be a Spanish-language cookbook.

    After all the evil Muslim fear-mongering you guys have engaged in these past few years, you really need to notch up the threat if you expect to get any sort of result.

  • Dan put his finger on the problem right there in the very first post. McCain refuses to touch – or even look – at any possible waste in military spending. In the Playbook according to John, we’ll be able to finance a century in the Middle East by cutting down on that thar pork barrel spending.

    The trouble is, one man’s ‘pork barrel project’ is another man’s ‘much-needed local infrastructure project’. Any Republicans that have been able to hold their own corners have done so on the basis of being effective in bending the ear of federal departments and getting funds.

    So what McCain’s effectively doing is promising to cut the throats of local Republican politicians by saying ‘don’t ask for anything, because you won’t get anything’.

    It’s a strange kind of multiple estrangement where the candidate distances himself from the president and then the state and local representatives then distance themselves from both. Perhaps they can all run as Democrats.

    I’d like to be around to hear the answer when a Republican politician is asked ‘You say you’ll get things done, your presidential candidate says you won’t get a red cent, so who’s telling the truth?’

  • A local district Vermont House candidate went to a candidates’ training session put on by the Assistant Speaker. In response to a my mini-rant about candidates who DON’T put their party affiliation on their signs and literature, he said: “They told us not to at the training.” All folks involved are active Democrats.

    It may have been accepted practice in previous elections, but in the year of the Democrat, there’s no reason to run away from Democratic Party connections.

  • these guys can’t possibly be for real, can they? change or run away from your brand? no chance. your problem is not your brand but your philosophy and its limited number of beneficiaries (codeword: to benefit just us, the rich anglo americans). it was only a matter of time for people to see thru the devil that is you. perhaps going back to some of your principals, like those of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt, might be a good start for that soul-searching. your bastardized brand since has only gotten corrupt and worse.

  • Wow.
    I would take my chances with being labeled “Republican”

    There are SO many strict party line voters you’re going to miss when you do that.
    Really. I believe there are MANY people who go into teh booth without knowing a single name in advance and vote only for their party.

    Both sides are guilty of that.

    Such people should stay home, regardless of what we’re supposed to say.
    Mindless party loyalty is what gave us Dubya and his wrecking crew.

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