Posted on 10/12/2003 7:45:46 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
It looks like the GOP is finally going to succeed in Texas. Hopefully, Martin Frost is tossed out on his butt, and the GOP can make some gains. I won't celebrate until it's pushed through, but I like what I see so far.
But the dems have threatened payback(New Mexico is rumored), and we all know they are going to try and get even. Thanks to redistricting, Dave Bonior and other dem stars are now toast.
So what can we do? In most states, the state legislature and the governor handle redistricting. These races don't get a lot of hype but are just as important as the high profile races for congress.
1. Be active in the county GOP. A strong and active county GOP hurts the dems and gets good people elected. This is especially true if your state has term limits like mine. Almost all the money I donate in political causes goes to my county party. Our county had a 5% higher turnout than the rest of the state, and we had a clean sweep for all races. While our county is strongly republican, we also had a strong GOTV effort down to the precinct level, and didn't coast. This is a largely rural county still, too.
2. If possible, become a precinct delegate. In my state, precinct delegates run in the primary election every two years. Most are unopposed. Delegates choose the exec committee of the county party, as well as choose who goes to the state convention. If the local party is in good hands, you can make sure they are still there. If they aren't, toss em and get good ones in there. It's OUR party, let's make it work.
3. Swing state rep/state senate races. If your district is safe or completely unwinnable(Flint, Detroit), your neighbor's district might not be. My state rep district is solid GOP, but up to the north in Shiawasse County, it's a 50/50 district and will be an open seat. They will need some help. This also works well in some congressional races. Mike Rogers has buses of people from our area sent 150 miles away to help Chris Chiccola(sp) who was in a tough race in North Indiana. He won with 50% in a formerly Democrat seat.
4. County, City Council, school board and Township races. Today's 'low level' elected official is tomorrow's state representative that will draw the new districts. If we stop the next democrat rising star from getting started, that's 1/2 of the battle. Just because my county is 'safe', doesn't mean it will always be. Demographics can change. Bad candidates can defeat themselves. Dan Rostenkowski lost once. If a dem can get incumbency, it can start a bad precident. Oakland County MI was once solid GOP. Monroe County was once solid Democrat.
5. Allies. Friends. family. Activist groups. Sometimes that's all that's needed to win some races. Ask my state rep who came out of nowhere to win the primary, and then the general. Longshots do win.
This is also a good way to stop RINOS. We don't need anymore Lincoln Chafees, Richard Riordans, or Joe Schwarzes. An ACTIVE party minimizes the chance a high-tax, high spending, anti-life, anti-2nd Amendment RINO gets past a primary. 20-30 RINOS aren't a reason to abandon a party.
I don't want the dems getting control of my state and redistricting it. If they get their way, I could easily be stuck in a district dominated by democrat strongholds Flint or Ann Arbor. Anyone want Lynn Rivers back? Anyone want their state's David Bonior gone? Anyone want to keep John Hostettler or Tom DeLay?
Let's make an extra effort here at keeping our state houses or taking them back this next election.
Nice suggestions!But the Dems aren't going to be paying anybody back for anything. They pissed away their money, shot their own credibility in/with the media, and have failed to come up with any new ideas of their own.
They have only some allies in the courts and in the media, and I expect that's where we'll see any attempt at future paybacks...if they can even muster up any hits on us in those areas.
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Hey, thanks for the help bro! It's good to see my hometown well represented again.
Or Dingell!
In the bad old days I used to think of "the media-congressional complex" as a takeoff on Eisenhower's "military-industrial complex."Of late I've been seeing more of a "media-judicial complex" than anything else. The Senate Democrats are hanging on by their fingernails and are determined that the judiciary shall be as shallow and arrogant as a NY Times editor.
What is so sorely needed is good Senate candidates in the red zone states in '04. And Iraqis who love freedom enough to work on pro-Republican PR here as well as in Iraq.
While a minority Republican will win a white district(JC Watts, Gary Franks, Ken Hardiman) it rarely is the other way around with a minority democrat.
Which is another reason I want Frost gone. Same with Lloyd Doggett.
What are they going to do? Is it because Richardson is governor? Too bad that they can't do anything in South Dakota so Daschle can get in on it.
-PJ
Yes, as we learned with his twin David Bonnier - never trust a democrat with a beard (male or female).
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