GOP State Parties Are In Dire Straits

Politico: A Number Of State Party Organizations Are Struggling Through Troubled Times

(The Politico)  This story was written by Charles Mahtesian and David Paul Kuhn.

---

At a time when the GOP presidential nominee will need more assistance than ever, a number of state Republican parties are struggling through troubled times, suffering from internal strife, poor fundraising, onerous debt, scandal or voting trends that are conspiring to relegate the local branches of the party to near-irrelevance.

In some of the largest, smallest, reddest and bluest states in the nation, many state Republican organizations are still reeling in the aftermath of the devastating 2006 election cycle, raising questions about how much grassroots help the state parties will be able to deliver to presumptive GOP nominee John McCain.

The state party woes are especially ill-timed since McCain will face a Democratic nominee who may be considerably better funded and organized, and since Republicans will be facing an energized Democratic party that is shattering primary election turnout records.

“After twelve years of being in power, you tend to get fat and lazy, and in some cases arrogant with respect to your positions,” said Saul Anuzis, chairman of the Michigan Republican party. “There is no doubt that we have had people who have gotten caught up in both illegal activities and immoral activities and none of that helps the party as a whole.

“If you go back to 2006 most people would agree that not only did we lose our brand, that we damaged our brand significantly,” Anuzis said. “We are clearly rebuilding.”

Nowhere is that clearer than in two of the nation’s largest states, California and New York.

According to figures compiled by the California secretary of state’s office, the number of registered Republicans there has dropped by roughly 207,000 since October 2006. At the end of January, California’s Republican party was in the red, with $3.2 million cash on hand but more than $3.4 million in debts. California Democrats, by contrast, had $5.5 million in the bank and just $83,000 in debts.

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has clashed with conservatives in his party, used Hollywood terminology to paint a dire picture last fall at a state party convention.

“We are dying at the box office,” Schwarzenegger said. “We are not filling the seats.”

In New York, the situation is equally dismal. After a devastating 2006 election cycle marked by a Democratic statewide office sweep for the first time since 1938 and a Republican nominee who failed to win even 30 percent of the vote, Democrats are now within two seats of wresting a state Senate majority from the GOP, which would give Democrats control of the whole of New York government for the first time since 1934.

A January 2008 state Board of Elections report shows the state Democratic party took in $491,302 and had closing balance of $1.4 million. Republicans, by contrast, took in $26,000 and had a closing balance of $395,000.

In the separate “housekeeping” accounts that the New York parties use to pay for headquarters and staff and general party-building activities, Democrats reported receipts of $454,000 to the Republicans’ $66,000.

Few expect that either New York or California will be competitive in the presidential election. But in considerably smaller and more competitive New Hampshire and Arkansas, for example, the state Republican parties are just beginning to dig out from under the 2006 landslide. 

In New Hampshire, where the state GOP has been driven by a dispute between moderates and conservatives, the state Democratic party took in four times as much money as its Republican counterpart in 2007. At the end of the most recent reporting period in February, the state GOP reported just $64,000 cash on hand to the Democrats’ $159,000.

In Arkansas, where Republicans lost the governrship in 2006 and are outnumbered in the state House and Senate by 3-1 margins, state GOP Chairman Dennis Milligan said he is facing defections and malaise.

“Independent conservative individuals just said they were fed up and they said there is no difference [between the two parties],” Milligan said. “We have sent out the message that we are now different. We know it did not fall down in one day and it won’t be rebuilt in one day.”

Even in some of the reddest states in the nation, Republicans have faced dispiriting news. As if Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ easy 2006 re-election victory wasn’t insult enough in heavily Republican Kansas, she won with a running mate who was more than a little familiar to the state GOP-Mark Parkinson, the former state Republican chairman, who switched parties to run as her lieutenant governor.

Just four years earlier, Parkinson had exclaimed that “any Republican who supports Kathleen Sebelius for governor is either insincere or uninformed.” Sebelius is now frequently mentioned as a prospective vice presidential nominee.

Most recently it was the Alaska Republican party airing its dirty laundry.

Just over a week ago, at the state Republican convention, the lieutenant governor shocked his party colleagues by announcing a primary challenge to veteran Congressman Don Young, who is under federal investigation. The state’s senior senator, Republican Ted Stevens, is also under federal investigation.

At the same event, GOP Gov. Sarah Palin, who is at odds with the state party, called for changes in leadership in the wake of a series of scandals that have tainted the party. An attempt to oust GOP Chairman Randy Ruedrich fell just short.

“We are not a unified group as we once were,” said Republican John Harris, the Speaker of the Alaska House. “Between Congressman Young and Senator Stevens, and our governor seems to throw out comments periodically about the ethical operation of the state … internally, that fuels the fire constantly.”

“Democrats don’t have to do that much to keep it alive. We keep it alive ourselves,” he added. “That breaks down morale.”

While Alaska Republicans were battling among themselves at their convention, roughly a dozen Republican state chairmen met in Las Vegas --the first gathering of its kind in recent memory, according to one of the chairmen who attended.

Formally, the purpose was to exchange ideas on “improving each state party’s performance,” said Sean McCaffrey, the executive director of the Arizona Republican party.?? But there was widespread concern expressed over the direction of the party as a whole.

Even that effort to strengthen the individual state parties fell short of the mark. With the exception of Florida, no Southern chairmen were in attendance. Many, it seems, were uncomfortable with the symbolism of meeting inside a Las Vegas hotel the same weekend as Palm Sunday.

“That’s a real problem with the Republican party that they went to a casino on Palm Sunday,” said one GOP state party chairman, who refused to come due to the timing.

“Here we are the values party,” the chairman added. “You’ve got to walk the walk here. If you don’t, you’re going to lose. You can’t disaffect your base.”

[antoniof123]

"In New Hampshire, where the state GOP has been driven by a dispute between moderates and conservatives"

That is only one of the problems and why they are out of touch with most of America. We the people want middle of the road and the GOP want to give us Reactionary. Sorry but Bill Clinton proved we can forgive a lot if you listen to what we say.

Next

%u201CThat%u2019s a real problem with the Republican party that they went to a casino on Palm Sunday,%u201D said one GOP state party chairman, who refused to come due to the timing.
%u201CHere we are the values party,%u201D the chairman added. %u201CYou%u2019ve got to walk the walk here. If you don%u2019t, you%u2019re going to lose. You can%u2019t disaffect your base.%u201D

What a bunch of morons it doesn''t matter where you meet it only matters that you listen to the voters and in your case you would not be losing if you had listen to us.

Once again you had your chance in 2007 to veto the President and listen to the voice of America you could have done it so many times yet you refused.

This is your problem nothing more.

[colvinatch]

Thank you george bush, you destroyed the Republican party, along with the constitution, this country''s reputation, and any other endeavor that daddy gave you to run! Thank you!

[sgtrds]

Under the neocons the GOP has become the party of tax breaks for the rich, scr*ew the middle class and wage war for profit. Once upon a time the GOP was a pretty good party, but there''s no room in it any longer for a Goldwater or Ford. Now it''s the party of the extreme right wing fascists.

[cfin5]

Yeah, They called me the other day. Told them how I didn''t like McCain and went on and on about how RON PAUL is the best. They didn''t care for it,.....hearing the truth! I think that he was about to hang up on me when I was done. McCain is a liberal in the wrong party,....that kin to a liar.

[lochlan-2009]

"...or voting trends that are conspiring to relegate the local branches of the party to near-irrelevance."

:-))) Can''t smile enough :-)))

Now if we can just get these people that put the party here in jail, "Mission Accomplished".

[singingrick]

Republicans came to power saying that government was too corrupt and wasn''t working for the people any more. When they got in office, they proved it by selling out the halls of government to the highest bidders and bankrupting the treasury.

Good bye Republicons.

Good riddance.

[singingrick]

The Republican party is corrupt to the core.

[truthspeake2]

%u201CThere is no doubt that we have had people who have gotten caught up in both illegal activities and immoral activities and none of that helps the party as a whole.

%u201CIf you go back to 2006 most people would agree that not only did we lose our brand, that we damaged our brand significantly,%u201D Anuzis said. %u201CWe are clearly rebuilding.%u201D


....and the best way to correct the situation is to make an "old guy" the party''s Martyr poster boy. Has anybody noticed that no republican is pointing a finger at just "whom" is responsible for all this? GW ruined the game for these players for at least 8 years. Greed and Arrogance...RIP GOP!

[skyk-2009]

Right now there IS no Republican Party outside the South. If the Party does NOT rid itself of the Religious Right and the Southern Fascist that dominate it they can pretty much write off most of the rest of this country. I''ve talked to so many good republican''s in the North and Mid West and they point to the fact that their party has completely ignored them and their wish to end this War along with so many other things. In effect they have been forced out of their party and now support Obama.

[kansas1946]

Good riddance. The party started its downward spiral in the 80s and just got more corrupt each year. Until the party divorces itself from fanatics then it will just be relegated to the bargain basement of politics. The focused everything they had on abortion and ***, and have lost relevance in people''s lives.

[truthword08]

Obama raised funds for Islamic causes(what a shocker)

Speeches for "Palestinian" refugees called code for Israel''s destruction:

http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=57341

[hypnotoad72]

Dire Straits. Great band, that one... "Money for nothin'', and the chicks'' for free..."

[springfever0]

Republicans in the State of Delaware can''t even come up with someone to run for Governor as a Republican in November. The Democratic primary will decide that race.

[estabwary]

but...but...but fear sells so well.

People love war, history has shown that you can
have war for years & years & years and people love it.

Keep up that winning strategy & don''t bother
reading history, polls & vote outcomes.

Reading & thinking is bad for Republicans.

[sgtrds]

Back in the past there used to be republicans that spoke of a balanced budget, no national debt, no interference in private lives of citizens and no nation building and they actually believed in those ideas. Now days republicans talk the same talk, but they sure don''t walk the walk. People like Karl Rove and Di*ck Cheney have driven moderate and mainstream republicans out of the party or into hiding, because the modern GOP runs up huge deficits and debt engaging in nation building. No republican of the era before Ronnie Raygun would recognize the GOP any longer and they''d be ashamed it still has the same name.

[truthwart08]

Yikes, this campaign is really aging the poor guy.

[southpaw65]

Couldn''t happen to a nicer bunch of people.....

[gkc99]

The U.S. Fascist party may be in for an a$$-whuppin'' this fall, no matter who wins the presidency.

Too bad, so sad.

[the74blaster]

Back in the past there used to be republicans that spoke of a balanced budget, no national debt, no interference in private lives of citizens and no nation building and they actually believed in those ideas. Now days republicans talk the same talk, but they sure don''''t walk the walk. People like Karl Rove and Di*ck Cheney have driven moderate and mainstream republicans out of the party or into hiding, because the modern GOP runs up huge deficits and debt engaging in nation building.

Posted by SgtRDS,

Absolutely! The problem is the independents and some moderate republicans are bailing our on a party that has contradicted their mission. Its goes without saying that they trashed their Contract with America in favor of thier misguided agenda to trash the constitution as well.

Maybe its time to start a third party that picks up the moderates from both sides and the independents so we can clean up DC.

[wardoglrs]

The Truth about War

http://www.heyokamagazine.com/HEYOKA.12.%20MoneyMasters.htm

Truth about Immigration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7WJeqxuOfQ

[roger_inkart]

Geez, the GOP goes to the trouble of running the nation straight into the ground and this is how we repay them? We have some nerve....

[roger_inkart]

''A January 2008 state Board of Elections report shows the state Democratic party took in $491,302 and had closing balance of $1.4 million. Republicans, by contrast, took in $26,000 and had a closing balance of $395,000.''

A la Nelson Munz: ''Ha-HAW!''

[tomtomasters]

What was their claim.. to support less government? Does that include the military or is it now the Private Military of George Bush? Bushs Government spends more money on this lying war than all the countries in the world spend on their military. Really they are have put those sacks over our head, not the Innocent Iraqis/

[tomtomasters]

What was their claim.. to support less government? What that does not include the military or is it now the Private Military of George Bush? Bushs Government spends more money on this lying war than all the countries in the world spend on their military. Really they have put those sacks over our head, not the Innocent Iraqis.

[prinzowhales]

Maybe the Grand Old Perverts can recoup their finances by selling kiddie porn over the internet, heaven knows they have enough experience.

[obamamother]

Hey want to hear something cool that pertains to this article? A Radical terrorist or radical Muslim or a radical Russian etc. etc. can come over here to America become citizens and then go back to where they came from and groom their children in their ways. Then bring them back over to America and have their children run for office, remember now they are American citizens, and become President. What you say this could not happen? Well one prime example of someone living for a long time outside of our country with values from that country teaching him is Obama! He will tell you the same. This is no hidden secret! And he decided to continue his education in a church that its loyalty is to Africa. What you say this cannot be true. Yes the pastor of Obama church said %u201CWhite America was the reason for 911(that the people deserved do die) that they are racist along with Israel that God would D-A-M-N WHITE America%u201D. It seems Obama%u2019s statement on this is he is never present on any day that his pastor speaks in racial undertone? Obama claims he knew nothing of what was transpiring there in his cell church life!

Obama%u2019s message of Hope

GOD D-A-M-N WHITE AMERICA
GOD D-A-M-N WHITE AMERICA

[roger_inkart]

''McCAIN LEADS OBAMA BY 9% BIGGEST LEAD EVER''

From May 17, 1988 NY Times....

Poll Shows Dukakis Leads Bush; Many Reagan Backers Shift Sides.

''Michael S. Dukakis is capitalizing on deep public doubts about Vice President Bush and the Reagan Administration''s handling of key issues and has emerged as the early favorite for the Presidential election in November, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll.''

-----

''Nuff said about who leads who in March.

[obamamother]

TIME: Sept 11th 2001.
PLAcE; World Trade Center.

We''''re a couple of floors above where the planes hit. We are scared and frantic! There is fire everywhere and we begin to realize our time on earth is over! We are about to jump but before we do, We look with our binoculars to Obama%u2019s Trinity Church. We see people looking at us. They are pointing and laughing! We ask ourselves, are they the one who did this? Why?

It%u2019s now too hot to think about it any longer. We are blinded by pain and we can stand it no longer so we decide that we must jump. As we are falling and clutching the air we again hear the laughter coming from the church. Can this really be real? Why are they laughing? And then it happens, we hit the pavement and we are no more. A few feet away from the impact of our bodies there stands a man who is smiling. He attends the same church Barack Obama. surely he is the one who did this.

TIME: SEVEN YEARS LATER

We can still hear them laughing at Obama%u2019s magnificent church? Look closely. Do you see him? Is he in the front row today? Does he have his fingers in his ears, or is he smiling and dancing like everyone else? Why hasn%u2019t he walked out yet?

Is that a voice coming from the pulpit White America had the 9/11 attacks coming". "God Dammn America"

We can still hear the laughter. Will you laugh at us too?

[obama8years]

CBS LIBERAL SPIN. WHY DONT THEY REPORT HOW THE DEMOCRAT PARTY IS FALLING APART.

McCAIN LEADS OBAMA BY 9% - BIGGEST LEAD EVER

ANY BETS THAT LEAD GOES INTO DOUBLE DIGIT.

Just talk to my boss about Obama. He was voting no matter what. But Showed him who obama really was. He is hard core democrat, if Hillary doesnt beat obama, he is voting for Mccain, he did say he was holding his nose while he did it. LOL

[roger_inkart]

And more...

''Mr. Dukakis, the probable Democratic nominee, ran ahead of Mr. Bush, the almost certain Republican candidate, by 49 percent to 39 percent among 1,056 registered voters.''

Wow! That''s even more then John McBush''s lead at the moment.

And as the grueling campaign gears up, that old man is going to wind down. He''ll look tired, old and out of touch in debates. Obama will have all the chances he need to shoot down the smearers and the swiftboaters.

Mor fun with early polls:

DOLE SHRINKS CLINTON''S LEAD IN POLLS A CHOICE OF CENTRISTS

A recent Times/CBS News poll shows Dole narrowing Clinton''s lead to 49-39. It is a safe bet that by late October the race will be 45-45, assuming there is no third-party wild-card candidacy.''

----

Yikes! I wonder how many people took that ''safe bet?''

[roger_inkart]

He is hard core democrat, if Hillary doesnt beat obama, he is voting for Mccain, he did say he was holding his nose while he did it. LOL

Posted by obama8years at 09:21 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Either you are a liar or he is.

[obama8years]

Hillary is going to take Pennsylvania and NC is normally Obama land but hillary tied.

[roger_inkart]

You rightwing loonies are trying SO hard to milk this Rev. Wright thing. Boy, too bad the ''librul media'' hardly said a word about it. And as the year goes on it will fade. It was one of your trump cards, and you idiots played it way too soon.

Even with the MASSIVE amount of media attention to the story Obama''s number''s only dropped slightly. He looked you swiftboating SOBs in the face and you blinked first.

[obama8years]

He is hard core democrat, if Hillary doesnt beat obama, he is voting for Mccain, he did say he was holding his nose while he did it. LOL

Posted by obama8years at 09:21 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Either you are a liar or he is.

--------------------------------------------
I know the truth hurts...you dont beleive that its happening all over the US, how do you think Hillary caught up and john mccain who was behind is now 9% up. Your right you never know whos telling the truth, unless you have a verfied source, trust me, as god as my witness thats what happened this evening. Its not that hard beleive. OBAMA is going down. What I dont understand is alot of people are still hanging on to him like he is the holy grail. Wake up ZOBAMAs

[obama8years]

Obama Exposed! Most of America when they find out will change there vote. Obama was a wolfe in sheep clothing. Whats scary for you liberals, is that 30% of America still has no idea who obama is, has not even heard the rev wright story, including my boss, I told him today though. Thats 6 votes I have taken away from obama personaly, I am only one person. So call me a loony, but I want an American who is proud of there country in the White House. Not a Arab Militant.

[lovegetpeace]

I am switching all my stock money from REPU to DEMO as I expect a awesome ROI by the middle of NOV-2008.

[roger_inkart]

Thats 6 votes I have taken away from obama personaly, I am only one person. So call me a loony, but I want an American who is proud of there country in the White House. Not a Arab Militant.

Posted by obama8years at 09:32 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Your feverish desperation is understandable, and also pretty hilarious. I''m sorry Mr. Obama makes you feel so insecure you have to lie your fool head off.

Perhaps one day you''ll have accomplishments of your own so you won''t have to spend your time obsessing about and smearing your betters.

[obama8years]

Can you point out the lies sir. Obama is 40% arab right.

[obama8years]

Beyond the issue of flagrant racism and a anti-American worldview, Obama%u2019s inability to exercise appropriate judgment and his silent position on this kind of church of 20 years eliminates him from the presidential race and should require his resignation from the U.S. Senate. America cannot afford to have a president who lacks even a fundamental level of judgment and intelligence. While Obama is heralded as a Ivy Leaguer and smart person, he clearly failed to demonstrate any ability to discern the impact of the racist minister and his loyal participation with the church. Beyond the issue of race, there were outrageous and untruthful statements, anti-American statements, and a successful effort that has polluted the minds of the church members with anti-Christian thoughts and ideas.

America needs to know how many of these churches exists and what their congregations are saying about our country and the people within it. This kind of demogoguery should never be tolearated as it advocates hatred of our people and our land.

Funny, I haven%u2019t seen or heard Jessie Jackson or Al Sharpton call for Obama%u2019s resignation or the firing of the minister. In fact, I believe it is due to the fact they will not admonish their own, but rather only attack whites for similar atrocities. This hypocrisy should not go unnoticed

[roger_inkart]

Whats scary for you liberals, is that 30% of America still has no idea who obama is, has not even heard the rev wright story, including my boss, I told him today though

Posted by obama8years at 09:32 PM : Mar 24, 2008

No, what''s scary is when people DO learn about Obama and he''s able to counter the lies from sleaze merchants like yourself (even you must have the brain cells to realize calling someone an ''Arab Militant'' when they are not is wrong.)

And when they do, McBush and the GOP will be done.

[roger_inkart]

Beyond the issue of flagrant racism....

Posted by obama8years at 09:40 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Nice. You stole that from the comments section of FOX News.

http://gretawire.foxnews.com/2008/03/18/on-the-record-mid-show-poll/

As if I needed more proof that right wing loonies can''t think for themselves.

[roger_inkart]

Why don''t you familiarize yourself with the ''mission ststements" of Good ''ole Rev Wright''s Posted by sbbm at 09:45 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Sure, keep it coming you swiftboating sleazebags. It won''t work this time around.

[ioweign]

I doubt seriously they would do the same - but hey!gee wilickers, if Clinton didn''''t dismantle the pentagon and cut our military by 36 units per year, maybe they wouldn''''t have found us so vulnerable to begin with...Bush hasn''''t made all the right decisions, (like YOU would have Mr. arm-chair General) but at least he has balls enough to try and do the right thing in the name of protecting this country. Go hit yer bong again and come back with some more ''''wisdom''''

Posted by sbbm at 09:28 PM : Mar 24, 2008

The ball was dropped on Bush''s watch - Bush/Rice had the info on bin Laden and they didn''t listen to Richard Clark. Bush was looking for excuses to invade Iraq 10 days after he took office - 8 months before 911. Hmmm ... the Pentagon and military would stop 911. Hey - has the "Pentagon and military" figured out the anthrax attacks yet.

[roger_inkart]

we had the very same conversation today at my office...word of mouth is spreading

Posted by sbbm at 09:50 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Within the circles of the rightwing smear machine. You don''t have a candidate worth @!#$% so of course you take to smearing Obama.

Give it all you got, because come November it won''t matter. The GOP is in for a world of hurt and all the smearing in the world - at least this time - won''t help.

[ioweign]

we had the very same conversation today at my office...word of mouth is spreading

Posted by sbbm at 09:50 PM : Mar 24, 2008

GOP can''t pay their phone bills...

[getcentered]

Please, someone tell where the CENTRIST Republicans are?

Many Americans today have been enlightened by the two wars we find ourselves involved. One war, the "war on terrorism", finds its main battleground in Afghanistan, and it is a war that costs lives and money but the majority of Americans support. Liberals, Democrats, Republicans, Conservatives, most don''t have a problem with us kicking down the doors of members of the Taliban.

When talking about the war in Iraq the parties have much difference. Democrats say that the public and congress was mislead to justify the war in Iraq and that the Bush Administration no longer deserves autonomy in situations where US service men and women''s lives are on the line. Based on the results of the last Congressional elections, most Americans see a problem with GOP/Republicans; at least in the way they make decisions about the use of our military.

So why is it that in the GOP/Republican party there are no dissenters, no independent thinkers, no moderates? Where are the real conservatives who would laugh at how conservatively the current Republican party has been spending taxes, and creating big government? Has the Republican Party lost its identity? Can the ideology of the GOP be so easily summed up in Karl Rove talking points like %u201Csupport this and support that%u201D, and angry rhetoric like %u201Cliberals are traitors%u201D?

Hello centrist Republicans! Anybody out there?

[roger_inkart]

if Clinton didn''t dismantle the pentagon and cut our military by 36 units per year,

Posted by sbbm at 09:28 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Got a link for that claim slick?

[jumkey]

You can''t build a party based on racism and lining the pockets of the top 1%. There is no such thing as conservative "philosophy" - it has been shown in the last 7 years to be nothing more than window dressing for scandal, corruption and criminal activity.

No surprise to me. I''ve know it my entire life, which is why I am and always will be a liberal.

[roger_inkart]

So why is it that in the GOP/Republican party there are no dissenters, no independent thinkers, no moderates?

Posted by getcentered at 10:06 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Because it''s been hijacked by ultra rightwing loonies, the arrogant and moronic neo-cons and sleazy media maggots like Ann Coulter, Bill O''Reilly, Rush Limbaugh (who can blame them - their listeners love to hate on anyone who dares disagree with them or the ultra-righty pols who carry out their warped ideologies and endless warfare.

Take your party back from these shameless anti-American SOBs already!

[getcentered]

roger_inkart- "Because it''''s been hijacked by ultra rightwing loonies,"

Dukes, I agree. See what they did to Ron Paul? ***.....to me Ron Paul was the last gasp of the libertarian roots of the now TRULLY Grand OLD PARTY.

What happened?