The Special Role of Two Soon-To-Be Republican Governors

The 2003 election cycle involves more than the recall election in California, although it is difficult to underestimate the importance of that race. Republicans may gain governorships in Kentucky and Mississippi, both of which would provide critical momentum in the South.

Elections for several state legislatures offer Republicans opportunities to increase strength in this building block level of political power which has proven so vital in keeping congressional districts and state legislative districts drawn to help Republicans win elections.

Several of these states will also be electing secondary statewide officers which will provide a strong class of candidates for governor, senator or congressman in future elections. Republicans have largely been shut out of these offices in the South, and a breakthrough here would help the party immensely.

One of the more interesting races, although little noted, is in Philadelphia, where the incumbent Democrat Mayor John Street, a protegee of Governor Rendell, may well lose to Republican Sam Katz. A Katz win would make it easier for President Bush to carry Pennsylvania, and Mayor Katz could help speed the exodus of Jewish voters to the Republican Party.

Two other Republicans offer even more fascinating opportunities for President Bush and for America, if these two men become Republican governors. One of these men has received a lot of national press, the other has received very little, and one important impact of the election of these men has been completely overlooked.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, of course, has been big news everywhere. His election would revitalize the Republican Party in California and help President Bush to put California in play next year. His exuberance and fame would provide Republicans with a new, fresh and exciting face at the Republican National Convention. Critically, Arnold could do more to restore business confidence in California and help the national economy than anything President Bush could do.

In Louisiana, Bobby Jindal is the man to watch. Young, bright, articulate and conservative, this young man could easily turn a southern state still dominated by the Democrat Party into a Republican state. His policies could also serve as a laboratory, like Governor Engler and Governor Thompson, for how Republican governors can actually solve problems.

But the greatest value of these two Republicans may be geopolitical. Arnold Schwarzenegger is not just an American hero; he is a European hero. He is popular in the two German-speaking nations of Europe, his native Austria and Germany, and generally popular throughout central Europe.

Imagine President Bush traveling to Europe with Governor Schwarzenegger. This Austrian boy who made good through hard work could tell the Europeans better than anyone alive that President Bush harbors no animus toward the European people. Europe and America both need economic growth, and both can help the other immensely, if a modicum of goodwill and enlightened self-interest are carefully nurtured.

While Democrats whine about how President Bush has broken with our historic allies, Arnold could actually do something to improve relations with Europe. Schwarzenegger, in a one hour press conference conducted in German, could do more real good for European-American relations than ten years of diplomacy.

Bobby Jindal could be even more helpful to America. While the world is accustomed to American politicians of German descent, like Eisenhower and Hoover, very few people from the Indian subcontinent have become prominent in American government. The election of Bobby Jindal would be big news in India.

India is much more important to America than most of us realize. It has the largest English-speaking population in the world, it is the largest democracy in the world, and it sits right in the midst of radical Islam, armed with nuclear weapons. It could be our best ally against Islamic fundamentalist terrorism.

India is also huge and notoriously complex. If President Bush traveled to India with Bobby Jindal, this brilliant young conservative could do more to improve the relations between the two giants of America and India than any other politician in our nation. And that could prove very valuable in liberating the world and preserving peace.

So watch closely these two proud Americans who reached this nation from Europe and from Asia. If they are governors of American states, then they could prove the key to much more than just political victory. They could prove the key to peace and freedom in the world.

Bruce Walker has been a dyed in the wool conservative since, as a sixth grader, he campaigned door to door for Barry Goldwater. Bruce has had almost two hundred published articles have appeared in the Oklahoma Bar Journal, Law & Order, Legal Secretary Today, The Single Parent, Enter Stage Right, Citizen's View, The American Partisan, Port of Call, and several other professional and political periodicals.

... So watch closely these two proud Americans who reached this nation from Europe and from Asia. If they are governors of American states, then they could prove the key to much more than just political victory. They could prove the key to peace and freedom in the world ...
It's about bloody time. No Republican has saved the world since President Reagan dismantled the Warsaw Pact. If only they could save us from our tax code.

Bobby Jindal will have a tough battle in his quest to become governor of Louisiana. Louisiana is a state where the GOP still has not recovered from a war that ended almost 140 years ago. The state has a large black population, and while he will likely do better among blacks than many white Republicans, blacks are still likely to cast their votes for any Democrat over any Republican. Kathleen Blanco is considered a conservative, and many people who would normally support Republicans will be voting for her because of that perception.

Another big problem is that the Republican party in Louisiana is clueless. As a party, we simply don't know how to run campaigns or be effective in grassroots politics. We have numerous candidates who claim to have figured it out, but they still go down in flames on election day.

I'd love to see Mr. Jindal win and will be voting for him. However, I'll remain pessimistic until returns show him actually winning.

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Bill

black voters seem impervious to minority republican candidates.

Two black female republicans ran against our white male liberal congressman Doggett here in Austin - no appreciable change in the black precinct votes in those races. The GOP gave up on running folks.

I agree that what you say is generally true. However, I've heard that Bobby Jindal actually did poll better among blacks than Republicans generally do. Maybe that report was incorrect, but I was trying to say that he's already shown a strength that other Republicans haven't had.

More Thoughts on Iraq
Bill

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