Six Myths About the RNC Race

National Review Online ^ | December 15, 2008 6:30 AM | Jim Geraghty

[Reagan is King]

Conservative blogging circles are abuzz with speculation about who will become the next Republican National Committee chair. The position represents one of the three highest-profile positions in the GOP, alongside the party leaders in the House and Senate. Those latter positions will be retained by Rep. John Boehner and Sen. Mitch McConnell despite a supremely disappointing 2007-2008 cycle. Current RNC Chairman Mike Duncan is running for another term — and many race watchers think it’s possible that RNC members will give him another two years on the job — but if the GOP is looking for new blood and a fresh face among its leadership, it will have to happen at the RNC’s winter meeting on January 29.

As Republicans reflect on which candidate for the RNC chair can best lead the party for the next two years, though, clouded thinking runs rampant — much of it based on the misperception that winning a majority of the 165 votes needed to become chairman requires the same skill set as winning a general election. For the sake of clarity, let’s clear up some myths about what makes a good party chairman.

[Reagan is King]

Geography may end up playing a bigger role than ideology. “In all but a couple of cases, these guys don’t care about ideology,” says one race watcher with professional ties to one of the candidates. “For some of them, it will be personal connection; some will want a leader or a national figure; and in places like the Northeast, they’ll want somebody who doesn’t hurt them at the top of the ticket, so to speak.”

Great, putting "personal connections" ahead of ideology is part of what got us into the sad shape we're in now.

[pallis]

These are the people who gave us the last two losses by choosing people who appeal to them personally. It’s time for change, and if these clowns won’t give it to us, we need to start an alternative leadership in the Republican Party. Letting these losers continue down the same path will destroy America.

[DManA]

Hogwash from start to finish.

[Soul Seeker]

And my refusal to give them money or work on their behalf continues.

Democrats can cause damage quite fine, we don’t need Republicans to do the same. I’ll look into working for them or donating when they decide to be different then Democrats and do good rather than harm.