Articles

How the GOP Should Prepare for a Comeback

December 10, 2008

What a difference a month makes. Since November's election, the GOP is three wins, no losses.

The first win came in Georgia, where Sen. Saxby Chambliss crushed his Democratic opponent by 15 points in a run-off election on Dec. 2. The other wins came in Louisiana congressional races on Saturday. One was in a Republican-leaning district in the state's northwest corner. Democrats outspent the GOP three to two and still lost. In the other, Republican Anh "Joseph" Cao defeated nine-term Democrat William Jefferson in a district where John McCain received 24% of the vote.

These victories have boosted Republican spirits. So has Sen. Norm Coleman maintaining a narrow lead in the Minnesota recount, leadership elections that injected new blood into the GOP congressional hierarchies, and a positive race (so far) for Republican National Committee chairman. Republican governors emerged from meeting in Miami energized, optimistic and eager for the 38 gubernatorial races in the next two years.

But many challenges lie ahead. Much of the GOP's work is away from Capitol Hill, governor's offices and party committees. In recent years, Democrats have done a much better job of tending the networks, initiatives and institutions important to political success. There are at least seven important functions, communications channels or institutions the GOP must launch or strengthen.

 FULL ARTICLE: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122895587373896541.html

Related Article

9c031df2f72b7f564754f1d3ce8982ce
June 11, 2026 |
Article
The New York Times’s Sunday interview with Scott Pelley, formerly of CBS’s “60 Minutes” is a gobsmacker. ...
47eaa529e5162b52b40a1a13e11e2a48
June 04, 2026 |
Article
The primaries Tuesday in California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, South Dakota and New Mexico provide insight into how the midterms are shaping up. ...
A073348fc173127d8442f652aa330425
May 28, 2026 |
Article
Say what you will, President Trump’s endorsement is still mighty powerful in primaries. Last week, seven days before Tuesday’s Senate runoff in Texas, Mr. Trump endorsed the scandal-plagued state attorney general, Ken Paxton, over Sen. John Cornyn. ...
12cb2f9cf332d357d47c632da13a97d4
May 21, 2026 |
Article
Now that the Virginia Supreme Court has thrown out state Democrats’ attempted gerrymander, the battlefield for the House this fall is coming into focus. ...
Button karlsbooks
Button readinglist
Button nextapperance