The Chairmain's Race: A Scorecard
Iowa Defense Alliance has a great write-up of the chairman's race, with Krusty making a great point as well, and the Iowa Rightosphere (Hat Tip: Deeth) being scorching hot, and it led us to think about what truly will make an effective and great chairman. So, we have drawn up a scorecard of sorts - for those of you who are, well, "keeping score" at home.
Our 17 pariahs on the State Central Committee will cast their vote in January (well, a few of you we really like, so don't take offense, please.) It is up to you, the activist, to contact your SCC member and let them know how you feel. We know that when checks are getting cut to certain members, and when other members covet power more than anything, and still others are holding secret meetings - it's easy to get run down and think they won't listen.
But they have to - and it's up to you to keep the pressure on them.
Here is what to look for in your next state chairman. Ask yourself how many of these traits our candidates for chairman actually hold. All of them? None of them? A couple? They have been out there for a while now, so I think we have a pretty good idea of who can accomplish which of these.
So, a note to our SCC members - we are watching. Choose wisely. The candidate who scores highest with the below traits should earn your vote. And passengers of In Flyover Country shouldn't be afraid to let them hear about it. So, in no particular order, is our scorecard:
FUNDRAISING: We have seen a dearth in fundraising for the past few years, and the money coming in the door is being spent at a break-neck pace. SCC members should demand a fundraising plan, and if a candidate for chairman cannot produce a viable plan on paper for the SCC, they should be immediately eliminated. Events, names of donors, technology - all these should be incorporated. And show us a new league of donors - use the small-donor method of Barack Obama and Howard Dean. They are pros. It doesn't matter who the chairman is if they can't raise money. ACTION ITEM: Show the SCC your fundraising plan.
TECHNOLOGY: While Barack Obama and the democrats have run circles around us, we have chosen to sit around with our thumbs up our you-know-whats. Capture blogs, social networking sites, YouTube and the like. Own them. Let us know you can effectively use new technology with a brand new plan. Don't simply copy the Democrats and think that's good enough, because while we may have a great 2008 plan ready to go in October of 2010, the Democrats are already putting in place their 2012 strategy. ACTION ITEM: Show off your technological creds.
UNITE: Everyone has their take on what this means. But it's very simple: don't water down your conservative principles while not alienating the moderates of our party. Yes, it's a fine line but it's not impossible to walk. Make sure you keep our moderate donors happy with what they like, and effectively communicate the party's platform to keep social conservatives happy. Each side isn't asking for the world, and the world won't end by making both of them happy. Let them know you stand with them - each side - and that minor concessions by social conservatives and moderates will need to occur - nobody is perfect. ACTION ITEM: Unite the party through effective communication with both sides - and do it in the open so as to not create more conspiracy theories.
BUDGET: Too often, we focus on the money coming in rather than the money going out. The incoming chairman must be willing to prioritize where the money is going, and have a transparent process for doing so - that's the key. This way, you won't have asinine claims of money earmarked for Reed's campaign (which is waaaaay illegal and never happened) that causes hard feelings. Be open and transparent and meet the bottom line. ACTION ITEM: Have an open, transparent budget process that can be easily explained to SCC members, and meets our bottom line.
MANAGE: The incoming chairman should have a staffing and office plan in place. Where do you intend to focus our efforts? In NW Iowa, turning out the base for our gubernatorial candidate? In the 2nd CD, where Loebsack could be vulnerable (given the right candidate) in 2010? Both? Neither? Give us a staffing plan for how you will turn out the vote. Put in place an effective, competent team - from the ED on down - and let us know how you will put them to work. ACTION ITEM: Show the SCC your management proxy by putting in place a solid staff and showing them where you will "office up" our efforts.
EARLY VOTE EFFORT: If there is one thing we hear all across the state, it's about early voting and why our program sucks. We get our asses kicked time and time again. Does this mean we mirror precisely what the Democrats do? No. But to ignore the problem altogether is really stupid. Get new voters registered, open satellite voting locations, have a solid absentee ballot program and build on it. Right now, we have nothing to build from as Democrats go into their fifth consecutive cycle building on their early vote success. ACTION ITEM: Put together our first successful early voting plan, and let the SCC know why it will work with careful analyses.
Encompassed by all of this is relying on our county parties, keeping them in the loop, and planning for this with them in place. An effective chairman will already know this.
This is not the end-all, be-all of the chairman's responsibilities, to be sure. But unless our chairman has all of these qualities, we will never be successful. Does the candidate you support have all of these qualities? Do any of the candidate for chairman have all of these qualities? Make your case in the comments section, or ping us at captainoveur@inflyovercountry.com.
Our 17 pariahs on the State Central Committee will cast their vote in January (well, a few of you we really like, so don't take offense, please.) It is up to you, the activist, to contact your SCC member and let them know how you feel. We know that when checks are getting cut to certain members, and when other members covet power more than anything, and still others are holding secret meetings - it's easy to get run down and think they won't listen.
But they have to - and it's up to you to keep the pressure on them.
Here is what to look for in your next state chairman. Ask yourself how many of these traits our candidates for chairman actually hold. All of them? None of them? A couple? They have been out there for a while now, so I think we have a pretty good idea of who can accomplish which of these.
So, a note to our SCC members - we are watching. Choose wisely. The candidate who scores highest with the below traits should earn your vote. And passengers of In Flyover Country shouldn't be afraid to let them hear about it. So, in no particular order, is our scorecard:
FUNDRAISING: We have seen a dearth in fundraising for the past few years, and the money coming in the door is being spent at a break-neck pace. SCC members should demand a fundraising plan, and if a candidate for chairman cannot produce a viable plan on paper for the SCC, they should be immediately eliminated. Events, names of donors, technology - all these should be incorporated. And show us a new league of donors - use the small-donor method of Barack Obama and Howard Dean. They are pros. It doesn't matter who the chairman is if they can't raise money. ACTION ITEM: Show the SCC your fundraising plan.
TECHNOLOGY: While Barack Obama and the democrats have run circles around us, we have chosen to sit around with our thumbs up our you-know-whats. Capture blogs, social networking sites, YouTube and the like. Own them. Let us know you can effectively use new technology with a brand new plan. Don't simply copy the Democrats and think that's good enough, because while we may have a great 2008 plan ready to go in October of 2010, the Democrats are already putting in place their 2012 strategy. ACTION ITEM: Show off your technological creds.
UNITE: Everyone has their take on what this means. But it's very simple: don't water down your conservative principles while not alienating the moderates of our party. Yes, it's a fine line but it's not impossible to walk. Make sure you keep our moderate donors happy with what they like, and effectively communicate the party's platform to keep social conservatives happy. Each side isn't asking for the world, and the world won't end by making both of them happy. Let them know you stand with them - each side - and that minor concessions by social conservatives and moderates will need to occur - nobody is perfect. ACTION ITEM: Unite the party through effective communication with both sides - and do it in the open so as to not create more conspiracy theories.
BUDGET: Too often, we focus on the money coming in rather than the money going out. The incoming chairman must be willing to prioritize where the money is going, and have a transparent process for doing so - that's the key. This way, you won't have asinine claims of money earmarked for Reed's campaign (which is waaaaay illegal and never happened) that causes hard feelings. Be open and transparent and meet the bottom line. ACTION ITEM: Have an open, transparent budget process that can be easily explained to SCC members, and meets our bottom line.
MANAGE: The incoming chairman should have a staffing and office plan in place. Where do you intend to focus our efforts? In NW Iowa, turning out the base for our gubernatorial candidate? In the 2nd CD, where Loebsack could be vulnerable (given the right candidate) in 2010? Both? Neither? Give us a staffing plan for how you will turn out the vote. Put in place an effective, competent team - from the ED on down - and let us know how you will put them to work. ACTION ITEM: Show the SCC your management proxy by putting in place a solid staff and showing them where you will "office up" our efforts.
EARLY VOTE EFFORT: If there is one thing we hear all across the state, it's about early voting and why our program sucks. We get our asses kicked time and time again. Does this mean we mirror precisely what the Democrats do? No. But to ignore the problem altogether is really stupid. Get new voters registered, open satellite voting locations, have a solid absentee ballot program and build on it. Right now, we have nothing to build from as Democrats go into their fifth consecutive cycle building on their early vote success. ACTION ITEM: Put together our first successful early voting plan, and let the SCC know why it will work with careful analyses.
Encompassed by all of this is relying on our county parties, keeping them in the loop, and planning for this with them in place. An effective chairman will already know this.
This is not the end-all, be-all of the chairman's responsibilities, to be sure. But unless our chairman has all of these qualities, we will never be successful. Does the candidate you support have all of these qualities? Do any of the candidate for chairman have all of these qualities? Make your case in the comments section, or ping us at captainoveur@inflyovercountry.com.
I think you guys have compiled a pretty good list.
I think maybe one other thing I might add is candidate recruitment--no more Hartsuch candidates. Time to get some real, viable people so the Democrats have to spend their money on their own races.
My money's with Matt.
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Good stuff. I'd add proven winner at all levels of government in Iowa. I think you know where I'm going with this so I'll stop now.
Maybe just a bit more, I'd also add someone who has in depth knowledge of Iowa election laws and how to stop the bleeding via warped county auditor interpretations of said laws.
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I'd add: someone who is not going to hire Yoda as the ED of RPI.
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Yoda - But that's all he's got - a win more than a decade ago and a loss in a primary.
What are his plans for NOW? I haven't seen them articulated.
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Yoda,
Those qualifications sound like a pretty good candidate for Iowa's Secretary of State.
I'd like someone to stop bleeding via warped County Auditor interpretations of the law.
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"A win more than a decade ago"
He was elected Mayor of Cedar Rapids (the 2nd largest city in Iowa) in 2001 and served until 2005 when the form of government changed from a commission form to a council-manager form. The unions made the change because they couldnt beat Pate.
So for the last three years he has been CEO of Pate Asphalt and helping to elect other good republicans.
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good write up captain,
I been saying very similar things for over a month now, These are the qualities I am looking for in a chair, and I would have hoped that we as a SCC would have discussed before now, instead of the way the process has played out to date. I am hoping to get together with other uncommitted SCC members to discuss this very issue of what would we like to see in a chair. I welcome the thoughts of others, particularly those in the 4th district.
Isaiah McGee 4th District SCC
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Isiah,
Here are my two cents (take it for what its worth) approximately - 1.5 cents after taxes.....
Technology is good, but we already a tech guru on the SCC named David Chung.
I want substance, I want a proven winner at all levels of elective office in Iowa. I want someone with an in depth understanding of Iowa election laws and a plan on how to stop the bleeding via warped county auditor interpretations of said laws.
I want someone who doesnt need the job, but rather will lead us because they want to help turn around the state GOP. The candidate list is full of people who want to use this post as a springboard for elective office and they are mistaken to think that it works.
I want someone who has been a county chairman. I want someone who has raised money at the local, legislative and statewide levels SUCCESSFULLY. I want someone who has been recognized by their peers to lead them (Pate being elected President of the Iowa League of Cities for instance). I want someone who has been to Jewel (thats for G$). I want someone who is good on camera and can speak for us on Iowa Press. I want someone who can remember Eastern Iowa where 2/3 of the state's voters live. I want someone who has won in Eastern Iowa multiple times. I want someone who has won statewide office. I want someone who understands what its like to run for city office and have no infrastructural help from the party and still win... Then take that knowledge and make sure local candidates get partisan support in the future so that we have a bench of candidates like the dems do. I want a candidate who can rebuild the shattered base between the conservatives and the moderates and doesnt want to kick either out of the party. I want a candidate that knows Dave Chung can secretly speak French. I want a candidate that personally worked at the grassroots of our party for decades. I want the most well rounded and experienced candidate we can find.
And we have found him in Paul Pate.
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Hell, he's got my vote.
Just as long as he goes alone to DM.
Cause I don't wanna be lonesome tonight.
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Look Yoda, I really like David Chung. I think he's a great SCC member but excuse me when I say, what in the hell has he done for technology at the party? You are really stretching on this one.
We are missing the youth vote entirely in this state and I don't think it's something that should be so easily brushed off as not mattering.
Your hard on for paul pate is starting to get annoying. Is he paying you to positively comment on everybody's blogs?
Fresh blood, fresh ideas so we don't get the same old crap.
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No, are you getting paid to trash him?
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I think Andy Cable is the best choice.
He is not polarizing like the other candidates. He knows the right people to bring in the money. He has the experience as a county chair.
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In what way did I 'trash' him?
I didn't say anything negative about him, just your incessant blog commenting about him.
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Very well thought out criteria and ideas.
While technology is an important tool and there are many improvements we need to make I would caution that we not over emphasis it at expense of a majority of our grassroots voters.
Over the last few years we have tried to use email to contact our County Central Committee. Our attendance fell off. We had 4-5 members that did not even have email. Another 2-3 did not check it but maybe once a week. And another member quit when he started receiving spam and unwanted emails from other members dealing with politics. His response to me was that he did not like unsolicited phone calls and felt the same toward email.
I returned to sending snail mail or calling information on meetings to all but three or so members that actively used their email accounts.
My point? Many of the activists and supporters in our party are either not computer literate or just do not accept it as good communication yet. I have no doubt over the next few years this will change but today I think we are still in a transition period and we stand to loose many that feel left behind if we forget or overwhelm them.
I asked at Thursday's County CC meeting if any were following the blogs- one hand out of 13 present.
Technology has its place but it is not a simple cure all to our problems. Communication is exchange of ideas and information. Talking and listening. The party needs more direct communication with the Districts and Counties to enlarge our voter base. The best way still is direct communication. We need more attendance from SCC members at County meetings, we need to have District meetings for the County leadership and we need an unified message to give to our base.
RPI can become relevant again only through rebuilding our communication with a positive message and an end to the perception that all that is done at state level is in fighting, backroom deals and ego building.
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Right on Andy... Keep 'em coming!
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"In what way did I 'trash' him?"
and your name is: "Anybody BUT Paul Pate".
Look I dont give a shit what you think of me, but don't hold it against him. Support whoever you like, but stop being a gutless anon attacker.
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oh no! I'm gutless!
And you're real name is Yoda?
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Yes. My real name is Yoda..... sigh
Ok, we really need to do a better job of holding the TSA workers accountable for punching this guy's ticket. Clearly he is intellectually on a one way domestic flight.
WAR Mile High Club
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What a sad commentary on where we Republicans are and what is wrong with the party. And as far as needing new technology to spread our word- if the examples so many use on the blogs to do this then I think it is more detrimental than positive.
I have met most the candidates and know their backgrounds. With few exceptions they are all qualified. They all bring different attributes to the table. What we are looking for is the best one. This should not be a process of tearing down one to support another. It should be case of why your candidate is best suited for the position.
I have become very disappointed with so called Republicans that feel they must use profanity, lies and innuendo to go after other GOP Chair candidates rather than simply talk about the issues and which positives each candidate brings.
While I have had my share of disagreements with fellow Republicans I have always tried to keep them civil and about the issues. Most important what is best for the Party has always been my measuring stick.
We need to open the party with legetimate communication, transparency within our leadership and most important a common cause and message that will unite our grassroots again. Leadership to accomplish this takes more than just words - it takes understanding of the complete structure of the RPI and its positives and negatives from the grassroots, counties, Districts to the SCC and RPI headquarters. Only with such experience and insight can leadership work with all levels to rebuild the state GOP into a viable alternative in the voting booth.
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