Amen! If they would actually wield the power of a majority when they have it then perhaps electing Republicans just for the numbers might be worthwhile. That is what the Democrats do. When Republicans have the numbers they get all bi-partisan about things and let the media run the show for them.
Run strong conservatives and watch them get elected to the astonishment of the media.
Friday, June 15, 2007
New Majority edges state, local GOP toward middle
Los Angeles Daily News
Rick Orlov, Staff Writer
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The name might be more wishful thinking than practical politics, but a group of Republican business leaders calling themselves the New Majority are hoping to reshape the GOP to give it a stronger role in state and local politics.
Launched in Orange County seven years ago, the group raised more than $8 million - more than any other contributor - for the effort to recall Gov. Gray Davis and replace him with Arnold Schwarzenegger, who also is a New Majority member.
Since then, the group has expanded to Los Angeles County and now has about 90 members in the area. Organizers also want to establish chapters in San Diego and the Inland Empire to wrest the GOP back from those it considers extremists.
“We are trying to get away from some of the personal attacks that dominate politics today,” said John Kilroy, head of the Los Angeles chapter and chairman of Kilroy Realty Corp. “We recognize that not all Democrats are bad and not all Republicans are good.
“We are a Republican organization, but we want to return the party so that people here feel they have a choice and not get involved with all the wedge issues that seem to divide us. What we are looking for is to reduce the influence of those on the extreme end of issues.”
For the New Majority, Kilroy said that means staying away from issues such as abortion rights and immigration.
No litmus test
“We have people who are pro-choice and people who are pro-life,” Kilroy said. “There is no litmus test, only if they agree with our desire to have a government that is more business- friendly.”
The New Majority was among the largest contributors in Tamar Galatzan’s bid for election to the Los Angeles Unified School District board. The group raised $200,000 for Galatzan, contributing the funds to a mayoral committee that funneled money to Galatzan.
“A lot of people looked at that and asked why we were supporting a Democrat,” Kilroy said. “We felt she was the best-qualified candidate and will bring us closer to what we believe in.”
He said the decision also was helped by the fact that the school board post is a nonpartisan seat.
“We have people in our organization who are pragmatic,” Kilroy said. “We are looking at candidates from a business approach. We look at what we have now, at what doesn’t work, and are looking for people who offer solutions.”
Original New Majority founders included such moderates as developer Donald Bren and George Arygyros. In Los Angeles, it has a number of prominent Republicans who have indicated they are looking to change the direction of the party. Among them are Bert and Jane Boeckmann of Galpin Ford, Kathy and Frank Baxter of Jefferies and Co., Dawn and Roland Arnall of Ameriquest Capital, and Elizabeth and Robert Lowe of Lowe Enterprises.
“We believe in politics, but we are concerned the parties have been highjacked by the extremes on both ends,” Kilroy said. “We think if we can elect moderate Republicans, it will serve to help elect moderate Democrats who are representing most of the people in the middle.”
GOP comeback in L.A.?
Republican consultant Allan Hoffenblum said the group has an admirable goal of trying to make the GOP a factor again in Los Angeles elections - even though Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by large margins.
“It makes sense that they would get involved in a nonpartisan election as a way to become a factor,” Hoffenblum said. “And that’s because there are hardly any Republicans left in elected office in this county.
“We have some Republicans in office, but nowhere near where it was 20 years ago when we had competitive districts. All those have been carved up for Democrats.”
In Los Angeles County, most recent figures show 1.9 million registered Democrats and 1.05 million Republicans out of 3.9 million registered voters. But of 1.9 million registered voters in the city of Los Angeles, there are 780,000 registered Democrats compared to just 288,000 Republicans.
Kilroy said his group hopes there will be a change in how districts are drawn as a new reapportionment plan is pushed through the state Legislature.
While it has yet to endorse a specific approach, Kilroy said he expects the New Majority to play an active role in any campaign that develops.
Tom Ross, a political consultant to the group, said it favors a citizens’ commission responsible for reapportionment, but is open to other proposals.
“Our key thing is seeing reapportionment taken from the hands of politicians,” Ross said. “But we are a pretty pragmatic group and we are open to looking at other options as long as it changes the way it’s done now.”