He may control the GOP beltway establishment, but who controls the voting GOP grassroots crowds?
Posted on 08/21/2010 7:13:40 AM PDT by Tom D.
The Most Powerful Republican in Politics
By JIM VANDEHEI & ANDY BARR & KENNETH P. VOGEL
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is the most powerful Republican in American politics — at least for the next three months.
Barbour, who runs the Republican Governors Association, has more money to spend on the 2010 elections — $40 million — than any other GOP leader around. And in private, numerous Republicans describe Barbour as the de facto chairman of the party.
It’s not just because he controls the RGA kitty but, rather, because he has close relationships with everyone who matters in national GOP politics — operatives like Karl Rove, Ed Gillespie and other top Republicans running or raising cash for a network of outside political groups. Together, these groups are essential to Republican hopes of regaining power because Democrats are cleaning their clocks through more traditional fundraising efforts.
The political class, in particular, is consumed with Barbour’s behind-the-scenes endeavors — this week, with the $1 million he got from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.
Yet the reality is that Barbour has been uniquely adept at leveraging concerns about President Barack Obama into huge contributions from many others. Bob Perry, the Texas businessman who funded the Swift boat attacks in the 2004 campaigns, has given more than twice as much as News Corp.
Barbour’s stature has grown at the expense of cash-strapped, gaffe-prone Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, and he has funded his various efforts by tapping into broad dissatisfaction with Steele — at one point, Barbour complained to donors that he needs to raise even more money because Steele is stumbling. This past quarter, Barbour’s RGA actually matched the Republican National Committee in fundraising, something that hasn’t been done in at least five years and probably much longer, according to a POLITICO analysis.
“He’s clearly the top political strategist and political operative of his generation,” said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a former RNC chief of staff. “He is without peer when he is raising money.”
At the moment, Barbour’s power is derived from his ability to tilt gubernatorial and statehouse races with his RGA funds. These races might not be as sexy as some of the star-studded races for Senate or as dramatic as the battle for control of the House. Yet they could prove even more important over the long haul because they will create the next generation of Republican leaders — and set the terms for the decennial redrawing of House seats.
"You never had the sense that Haley Barbour didn't have control of the situation," Colorado GOP Chairman Dick Wadhams told POLITICO. "In terms of his political impact, governorships in 2010 are even more important than most cycles because of the redistricting that will occur in 2011 for 2012 and beyond. So the fact that he's raised massive amounts of money at the RGA to help elect Republican governors will have an impact way beyond the 2010 election."
Barbour’s clout is also derived from his serious interest in running for president in 2012, a point he is making clear in private conversations. His logic, one adviser told POLITICO, is simple: When he surveys what most Republicans consider to be a weak field, he sees no reason he couldn’t easily beat them. He’s a better strategist and fundraiser than any other candidate currently considering running — and just as good on television and in debates, his thinking goes.
“When you look at the five or six factors needed to run a national campaign, there is a lot of strength there,” said GOP operative Rob Collins.
But the obstacles to a Barbour candidacy are substantial. A portly Southern conservative who represented tobacco firms and made millions building a lobbying firm isn’t the ideal profile for a Republican nominee in this or any political environment. In recent polls, Barbour is stuck in low single digits, way behind Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin.
At least one close friend lobbied him strongly to give up on considering a presidential run for this reason but walked away certain he made no progress in swaying Barbour.
“A year ago, he was saying no way, but now he’s saying to [donors and operatives] to keep their powder dry,” another friend said.
Barbour is assembling an elaborate fundraising operation beyond the RGA that would prove essential if he were to run. There is talk in GOP circles that with all the money shifting between the RGA and state parties — and Barbour moving so much cash through his own separate operations — he runs the risk of attracting legal challenges after the 2010 race. For now, though, he’s just attracting a lot of cash.
Barbour operates a federal political action committee, as well as PACs in Georgia and Mississippi, which have raised $800,000 since the beginning of last year.
The Georgia PAC — which, like the RGA, can accept unlimited corporate and individual contributions that the RNC and other federal committees cannot — has become Barbour’s main personal fundraising vehicle.
It hosted a June fundraiser in adjoining hot spots in Washington’s upscale Glover Park neighborhood that pulled in about $70,000 but was perhaps more significant as a marker of fundraising potential. The host committee included Altria (formerly Philip Morris) and Motorola, which have contributed $655,000 to Barbour’s RGA, as well as a raft of savvy politicos whose services will be coveted by contenders for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.
Among them were media strategist Phil Musser and election lawyer Michael Toner — both of whom have expressed early allegiance to Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, considered a likely 2012 candidate — as well as Phil Cox, who ran Bob McDonnell's successful campaign for governor of Virginia, and Tony Feather, a top Republican robocall operative.
Barbour also held a March fundraiser for the Georgia PAC in Las Vegas, where donors who contributed at least $5,000 got to take a few laps in a stock car around the track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, then attend a cocktail party with Barbour and casino magnate Steve Wynn. His resort contributed more than $5,600 worth of “food, beverage and venue” to the PAC and also $50,000 to Barbour’s RGA this cycle.
The Barbour approach is hardly original. Romney, in the run-up to his presidential bid in 2008, used both the RGA, which he chaired in 2006, and a network of state-based PACs to help form the basis of a highly successful national fundraising operation.
Barbour has a huge advantage over Republicans in Washington when it comes to raising money. The RGA is a 527 organization, which unlike the RNC or the federal PACs, can raise money in unlimited sums from individuals and corporations, the latter of which have been barred since 2002 from giving to party committees. That’s enabled drug makers and energy companies, for example, to give millions to Barbour’s RGA.
Many of Barbour’s most loyal donors have followed him throughout his career, starting from his days as a political operative for Ronald Reagan, through his time as a lobbyist and then RNC chairman and now as head of the RGA and governor of Mississippi.
He has a number of prolific fundraisers and operatives in his orbit, including Fred Malek, himself an influential party presence and one of the most sought supporters for any national Republican. Barbour brought Malek over to the RGA to help expand the association’s executive roundtable, membership of which comes with a minimum $25,000 donation.
Together, Malek and Barbour have grown the membership of the RGA’s executive roundtable from 15 members to more than 500, each of whom is tasked with bringing more funds into the RGA.
“The success of any fundraiser is having a good product to sell and selling it in a convincing and disciplined way,” said Malek.
John McCain plucked Malek to serve as co-chairman of his national finance committee during his 2008 run for president, and soon after coming to the RGA he and Barbour set their sights on some of the same donors who gave big to McCain and the RNC in 2008 but were not active with the RGA.
“First, you go to the low hanging fruit, the people you know. And you work from there,” Malek said of how he and Barbour began targeting donors. “You look at who were the big donors to McCain and the RNC victory committee. Who are the people you know who had interest in Republican politics?”
Then, Malek said, Barbour hit the phones.
“You have to have the discipline to make the calls,” he said. “You have to grind it out and make it a priority.” (See "Mojitos to Blame for Pool Gaffe")
And once he makes the call, Barbour is well-known as someone who gets what he wants. Chris Henick, a former RGA executive director who has known Barbour for decades, said the governor “doesn’t have any trepidation” when it comes to asking for money.
“He knows the importance of money in politics first and foremost,” Henick said.
It is telling that some of the smarter Democrats are scared to death of him:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_susan_estrich/watch_out_for_haley_barbour
He and Mitch Daniels, Governor of Indiana, or Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota, or Paul Ryan, Congressman from Wisconsin, or a number of other Republican bright lights, would smite the Dems in 2012. They could not only run against the lame ideas of the Dems, but they could bring a much needed positive program for the Republicans.
Haley can tell you go straight to hell with twinkle in his eyes leaving you feeling like you should thank him.
As much as I admire him, I don't want to see him seek national office.
Sorry, but Tim Pawlenty is not a “bright light”.
Great Post!
Perhaps he could use some of that money to help elect Secretraries of State as well. As the past few elections, especially in Minnesota, have shown, who holds that position can make a big difference in who wins elections.
Pawlenty and Daniels, however, not so much.....
Ryan has a future, but can we at least accept the proven reality that no local Congressman is going to be on a presidential ticket? Do we really have to go through the hapless dream that some Congressman is going to get the nod every election cycle. They're just not.
The article, however, is about Haley. He is a fine Conservative with a fine future. He'd be a great Nominee or Veep nominee.
Yea, I’ve always liked Barbour. IMO Mitch Daniels is 10 times better than Pawlenty.
...because Michael Steele is an idiot and AWOL.
I think Haley Barbour would make a great President. I wish he would have run in 2008 and defeated Obama--then we wouldn't be in the mess we are in today.
They’re probably wringing their hands hoping they can keep Steele from filing a discrimination suit. They should have gone with Ken Blackwell (also Black but a true conservative and smart).
Do we want to continue to do the same thing every time and get the same results? The 2012 election cycle is not just any cycle. It may be the last time we can save this nation. Ryan really does have fresh ideas and is uniquely suited to debate the Dems on the issues, especially those having to do with fiscal issues.
Barbour is part of the Rep establishment. Grover Norquist is a big supporter of his. Barbour is term limited so he is obvioulsy looking for his next job.
Yawn. Southern version of GWB.
I really don’t know much about Barbour. I have only seen him a few times on TV and he did not impress. He sounded dozey. Just a first impression but he didn’t sound like a national politician.
He may control the GOP beltway establishment, but who controls the voting GOP grassroots crowds?
No, we need Barbour in charge of the RNC, herding the cats and getting the national party back on track and in focus. Put him out front on the National stage and he will lose. The MSM will tear him apart 24/7 with racial fear-mongering. It’s not just the top ticket that we need to shoot for, it’s a sea-change across the board. A Repub President with a Democratic Congress still leads to hell.
Too fat.
I would be excited to see him run.
Hey I7, You could tell Haley was going to be leader when he played Little League BB in Yazoo City. He is in the big league but still has those same characteristics.
I will enjoy the competition in the 2012 race and Barbour would be a great choice for sure much better than Gingrich his southern neighbor. He wears “Big Boy Pants” and could handle the media and Obama in any debate.
I like Barbour too.
He has stayed under the radar, quietly building a political base. He talks like an adult. He gives respectful counter arguments to the democrats.
He is not a bomb thrower, his rhetoric is reasoned, not emotional.
I have been active in the ‘voting grassroots crowd’ and Sarah Palin does not ‘control’ me. Nor does she speak for me.
I thought Palin might have a chance, but after the past few weeks I doubt she will even run and she would guarantee Obama’s second term if she is the nominee. She can be president of her following with the ‘in need of a Dr’ Laura as her VP.
Barbour actually has a chance to grow the party, as Reagan did, instead of shrinking it into 20% of irrelevant ranters.
We need to see Ryan’s plan for economic recovery before we get all We Wead up
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