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CA: State GOP going strong
Ventura County Star ^ | December 4, 2006 | Duf Sundheim (CRP Chairman)

Posted on 12/04/2006 12:07:06 PM PST by calcowgirl

I have enjoyed reading articles about the election, some of which I agree with, others I do not. But as Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said, "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts." And the fact is the California Republican Party is much stronger today than it was three years ago.

In 2002, a Republican "red tide" did not stop California Democrats from winning every statewide office. Pundits, Republican and Democrat, said Republicans could not win in this "bluest of blue states." Just four years later, in the worst year for Republicans nationally since 1974, those same California voters overwhelmingly re-elected Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and elected Steve Poizner as insurance commissioner by a double-digit margin.

In a year when Republicans lost seats in statehouses throughout the country, in California, Republicans defended all of their seats, including four originally drawn for Democrats. We held back every effort to raise taxes with the defeat of Propositions 86 through 89.

It was amusing to read in some articles these victories were preordained. The fact is, just one year ago, articles and polls indicated the victories we achieved were far from assured. And it is more than ironic that many who even this year were saying death and destruction awaited the governor and the Republican Party in November are the same people who are now claiming our successes were "in the stars and not of ourselves."

Can Republicans win solely by appealing to our base? Of course not. Neither party can. Are there things we need to do better? Absolutely, and an extensive review of our program is under way. But the work we have done these three years enabled us to prevail against a strong national tide that would have swamped lesser candidates and campaigns.

In 2002, the Democrat Party made history. It was the first time since 1882 that it carried all constitutional offices. At the same time, on the Republican side, due to finger pointing, internal disputes and mounting debt, the California Republican Party was in complete disarray.

Since 2002, the change has been dramatic and deep. In 2002, neither Schwarzenegger nor Poizner had ever held elective office. Now they are our two highest-ranking Republicans. In the last three years, the party raised more than $100 million, an unprecedented figure, and narrowed the registration gap to the narrowest it has been in 70 years.

In 2006, the CRP had more than 60 staff members and recruited tens of thousands of volunteers from every community in the state. It is no coincidence that in 2006 the governor had no gender gap, received 57 percent of the Asian vote, 39 percent of the Hispanic vote and 27 percent of the black vote.

Volunteers made 4.9 million calls, more than 10 times the number of calls made by the California Democrat Party. The party paid for an additional 12 million GOTV calls and sent 10.3 million pieces of direct mail.

The absentee program was especially successful. Republican absentee votes exceeded registration by 13 percent, a record. Yet, our performance in this area was overwhelmed by the Democratic surge that occurred when Democrats realized they could win Congress. For example, among those who voted by Nov. 2, Schwarzenegger was ahead by 33 percent; lieutenant governor candidate Tom McClintock and Secretary of State incumbent Bruce McPherson by at least 6 percent. Of those who voted on Election Day, Schwarzenegger won by only 2 percent, McClintock and McPherson lost by at least 12 percent. The national tide was just too strong.

We are not blind to the challenges ahead. However, we have been here before and not only survived, but thrived. In the early 1960s, the CRP was dysfunctional. Then in 1966, we elected Ronald Reagan, a former Democrat, who said upon being elected governor: "We have not won a war or even complete victory in battle. We stopped our opponent's advance and halted our own retreat. We cannot hold the present gains unless we move forward."

That is where the California Republican Party is today — moving forward to win elections in California. The 2006 campaign was a major step in that direction.

— Duf Sundheim is chairman of the California Republican Party.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: cagop; calelection; dufsundheim; elections; gop; schwarzenegger; sundheim
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1 posted on 12/04/2006 12:07:08 PM PST by calcowgirl
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To: NormsRevenge; ElkGroveDan; FairOpinion; doodlelady; SierraWasp; Carry_Okie; ...

Ping.

Words from the Information Minister, Duf Sundheim...


2 posted on 12/04/2006 12:08:40 PM PST by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: calcowgirl

Those drugs must be working well for Duff.


3 posted on 12/04/2006 12:08:51 PM PST by edcoil (Reality doesn't say much - doesn't need too)
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To: calcowgirl


G elding
O ld
P arty


4 posted on 12/04/2006 12:11:14 PM PST by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots. Semper Fi)
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To: calcowgirl
Sundheim is giving himself credit for Schwarzenegger's win?!?
5 posted on 12/04/2006 12:11:46 PM PST by Mr. Jeeves ("When the government is invasive, the people are wanting." -- Tao Te Ching)
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To: calcowgirl

Where is the BARF alert!!!


6 posted on 12/04/2006 12:23:34 PM PST by tubebender (Growing old is mandatory...Growing up is optional)
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To: calcowgirl
Jesus in a taxi! We don't need this type of spin.

Calling Arnold's win a win for republicans is like calling Hitler's win a win for the NAZI party.

Now, I'm not comparing Arnold to Hitler. - Far from it.
To the contrary, I am saying that these are the types of events that define a national party, and I for one, want nothing to do with Arnold's style of Governance, and I certainly don't care for him in the GOP.

Just let him run as an independent or a democrat.
Either would be more true to his form, and I doubt that his stlye would change one whit.

Cripes, he was elected because of his celebrity status, certainly not for his past political experience.

Like many successful actors, he knows how to leverage his status on a daily basis. - Would anyone in California have voted for him if he wasn't a star?

All of that to the side, he is better than a Bustamente, but it's becoming, or has become, six of this or a half dozen of that.

7 posted on 12/04/2006 12:24:40 PM PST by bill1952 ("All that we do is done with an eye towards something else.")
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To: calcowgirl

8 posted on 12/04/2006 12:37:44 PM PST by ElkGroveDan ( What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul?)
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To: calcowgirl

9 posted on 12/04/2006 12:40:06 PM PST by ElkGroveDan ( What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul?)
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To: calcowgirl
Where was the barf alert?
10 posted on 12/04/2006 12:40:40 PM PST by Carry_Okie (There are people in power who are REALLY stupid.)
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To: tubebender; Carry_Okie
Where is the BARF alert!!!

Sorry about that! I guess I should have posted it before lunch?

11 posted on 12/04/2006 12:46:30 PM PST by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: calcowgirl

12 posted on 12/04/2006 12:46:55 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ...... Kyl / Cornyn in '08 .... Now is as good as any time for a GOPurge.)
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To: calcowgirl
We held back every effort to raise taxes with the defeat of Propositions 86 through 89.

Oh, come on Duf... take more credit where credit is due.

By focusing the $22 million GOTV effort on Arnold only, you energized liberals and moderates to get to the polls, enabling the more liberal candidates to prevail in all races except Governor (and the self-funded $13 million purchase of the Ins. Commissioner's office). By withholding financial support from McClintock and other downticket candidates, you aided in their defeat. By including Prop 1C in GOP campaign material and remaining silent on Prop 84, you aided in the passage of Bonds that the GOP had NOT endorsed. And to "help" in passing Prop 90, you hired the consultant from the No-on-Prop 90 campaign. Stand up and take a bow! Bob Mulholland couldn't have done it better.

13 posted on 12/04/2006 12:54:05 PM PST by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: calcowgirl

Will they get behind Duncan Hunter?


14 posted on 12/04/2006 1:02:11 PM PST by ClaireSolt (Have you have gotten mixed up in a mish-masher?)
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To: ElkGroveDan
What the heck is an "advanced Republican Party"? Are they using Tammany Hall as an objective?
15 posted on 12/04/2006 1:03:03 PM PST by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: calcowgirl
What the heck is an "advanced Republican Party"?

I think being advanced reflects the ability to harass people at home with automated phone messages and to turn out liberal Democrats in large numbers.

16 posted on 12/04/2006 1:10:03 PM PST by ElkGroveDan ( What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul?)
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To: ClaireSolt
Will they get behind Duncan Hunter?

With a great selection (in their view) like Giuliani, McCain, and Romney to choose from? No way would they get behind Hunter, IMO. Gerald Parsky is already jumping in behind McCain.

17 posted on 12/04/2006 1:10:29 PM PST by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: ElkGroveDan
I think being advanced reflects the ability to harass people at home with automated phone messages and to turn out liberal Democrats in large numbers.

Thanks. I figured "advanced" meant to muzzle all opposing views while advancing unpopular positions and still claiming victory. Kind of the same thing. ;-)

18 posted on 12/04/2006 1:13:21 PM PST by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: ElkGroveDan

ROFLMAO!

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking before I saw your picture.


19 posted on 12/04/2006 1:52:25 PM PST by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: calcowgirl
Yeah if moving Left is an advance in the right direction, then Califorbia doesn't need the CAGOP. Its already got a liberal party. Hint: its called the Democrats.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

20 posted on 12/04/2006 1:55:33 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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