A chance to get it right

After nearly two decades of underperformance culminating in the over-hyped 2022 "red wave", everyone should now agree that the Republican candidate-election system is broken.

The good news is that disenchantment begets action. In other words: help is on the way!

The underwhelming history

In 2022, Senate GOP leadership committees spent at least $80 million on TV celebrities, fighter pilots, generals, accomplished businessmen and champion athletes who ran into a wall as statewide candiates. The GOP ended up losing by two seats a crucial Senate majority -- with devastating consequences for the nation.

It shouldn't have been that close. In the last seven election cycles (2010 to 2022), the GOP has given away at least 15 winnable US Senate races by nominating candidates ill-suited for the rough and tumble of a highly contested general election.

The House GOP fared no better. In 2022 the Republicans should have gained, by some estimates, at least 13 seats through reapportionment -- yet won only eight. In 2020 and 2022, 120 races were rated slightly- to moderately-Democrat -- and the Republicans won only four.

These are the types of races where Republicans routinely prevailed during the Reagan years: In 1988 three of the five Ohio Senate seats in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland!) were held by Republicans.

So what happened? Poor candidate development, surrender to the Democrats in the metropolitan counties and abandonment of tried-and-true campaign principles. Money never was the problem. So it is not the solution.

A new GOP wave

We're not the only ones to recognize this. A group of Republican donors has coalesced to reverse the decline by forming a committee the following intent:

1. Find better candidates

Those who can win in November and not just in May. Those who can inspire and recruit and organize and raise money. Instead of relying only on referrals from officeholders and party regulars, this new recruiting method might employ profiles or algorithms to ID great candidates. 

The only litmus test will be: are you the one who can win?

2. Fight the Democrats in the urban counties

Assist candidates and GOP organizations eager to join the battle. Good government is the best politics, and Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump demonstrated this profound truth in south Florida. Imagine this: if, by proclaiming the GOP gospel of hope and opportunity we reduce the Democrat margin by only ten points in those precincts, we will forever deny Democrats the overwhelming urban margins they need to win statewide. Do that and the states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Missouri, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin become competitively, if not safely, Republican.

3. Help the metropolitan-county GOP organizations

One idea being floated -- by those with the dollars to make it happen -- is to provide funding for headquarters and staff on a quarterly basis in exchange for achieving certain benchmarks in candidate recruitment, fund-raising and precinct-organization development.

4. Get back to the basics

Do everything Republicans once did to win the marginal districts. Revive the lost art. Get back to organizing and recruiting in-person instead of on Facebook and Twitter. Instead of offering just money (anyone can do that) this new coalition will instead provide the tools to raise money. This in addition to startup necessities such as precinct research, benchmark polling and some tech assistance. They'll even help campaigns get in touch wiht like-minded donors and activists in the area. (Yes, this is similar to the Campaign in a Box offered on these pages.)

And here's the twist: Performance will be monitored.  Candidates will be dropped from further support if they can't make use of the tools provided. Which for the donor group means no more throwing good money after bad.

How does this involve our Filpac system? Someone in the group knows of our technology-assisted mode of traditional campaigning. So we were asked to find likely candidates and party organizations. So they (rightly) assumed our customers would be the candidates and party organizations they have in mind.

This will work

... because those involved have the resources to keep it going and make it work. And because the entire plan is based on methods that have worked before.  Candidate, organization and money.  In that order.

This effort is designed to enhance rather than supplant the work of GOP organizations.  There's no intent to become a "shadow GOP".  The only intent is to win.  In November.  Starting this year.

How to get involved

If you're a candidate or party organzation, drop us a line.  Call or email. We'll keep you posted on the next steps. This isn't a next-year plan.  They're looking for candidates and organizations to help.  Right now.  If you're a Filpac customer (if not you should be), you're already on the list!