Ideas for the next chair of the Maine Republican Party

Republicans across Maine were decimated on Election Day. Two incumbent Republican state senators were knocked off, and Democrats picked up additional seats in the State House, leaving Susan Collins as the only bright spot for the Maine GOP.

Many factors contributed to Republican losses. Obama-mania overshadowed discussions on legislative records and responsible reforms, the Democrats’ ground game identified new and existing Democrats and made sure they voted, and President Bush’s low approval ratings didn’t do Republicans any favors. While losses may have been inevitable with the political deck Republicans were dealt, a more effective Maine Republican Party might have mitigated those losses, or even held back the national blue wave.

The current structure of the Maine Republican Party isn’t working. Although the state committee, party chairman, and executive director are well intentioned, it’s time everyone revisit the party’s purpose. The party should begin its transformation by concentrating on seven key areas:  

1)  Candidate training

To achieve greater success, the Maine Republican Party must provide training for candidates running for state and local office. Message development, public relations, handling the press, responding to attacks, fundraising, courting undecided voters; these are all issues the party can assist candidates with as they seek victory on Election Day. The party could bring in experts on some or all of these topics, and could work with Republican leaders in the Maine House and Maine Senate to prepare candidates for the challenges of a campaign.

2)  Polling

There is an eternal debate over whether polling is beneficial to a political campaign. It is, and the Maine Republican Party needs to commission state-wide and district-wide polls to determine which issues are most important to voters. Polling helps develop a successful message and gives direction to a candidate who feels lost in the throes of their campaign. Poll results give candidates a starting point when they begin discussions with voters and provide insight into which regions of the district or state need extra attention.

3)  Promoting Republican incumbents

Although the Maine Senate and House Republican offices each have a communications director to promote the caucus message and spotlight individual legislators throughout the session, this shouldn’t be an excuse for the party to sit back and relax. Republicans need to feel the love during session, and the public needs to hear about the hard work Republicans are doing on their behalf. These guys go to bat for important Republican ideals like lower taxes, government transparency and responsible government spending; ideals that play well with Joe Six-Pack and Jill Main Street. As part of its daily activities, the party should be issuing comments to the press praising Republican legislators for their steadfast leadership, and for their commitment to good government. Highlight Sen. So-and-So’s bill to reduce the income tax, or praise Rep. This-and-That’s vote against the automatic gas tax increase. If Republicans cannot count on their own party for support, who can they count on?

4)  Holding accountable incumbent Democrats

In the same way Maine’s Republican Party should promote Republican incumbents, they should also blast Democrats who vote and behave in ways that undermine the future prosperity of Maine. For example, we recently learned that Sen. Dennis Damon’s home was in foreclosure. This is a perfect opportunity for the Republican Party to question whether he is prepared to make tough decisions that directly relate to the state’s fiscal well-being. Or because Democratic Sen. Phil Bartlett cast the deciding vote to raise taxes by $70 million, the party should have something to say about his election as leader of the Senate Democrats. This is politics; Republicans need to take the gloves off.

5)  Identify and groom a Republican farm team

Maine Democrats are very successful at identifying local leaders on town councils, school boards and in non-profits to run for state office. Republicans can do the same. There are mayors and school board members across the state with the experience and common sense to become successful Republicans in the legislature, if the party structure begins the grooming process to make them viable candidates. This is an opportunity to work with the county party structure to find future Republican leaders. In the era of term limits, this must be an important function of the Republican Party and it should start as soon as possible.

6)  List management

An up-to-date voter list might be the most important file in any political campaign. This tells you who to send mail to, and where to send it. The Republican Party should make sure an up-to-date voter list is always available to its candidates to save them the time and money involved in capturing this list themselves. This past cycle, party chairman Mark Ellis did a good job of obtaining and updating a voter list, but there is always room for improvement. The party can also capture other lists including Mainers with veteran license plates, Mainers with hunting/fishing licenses, absentee voters, etc. The information on these lists allows a candidate to target a niche of voters with a specific and appealing message, and will assist with the voter contact that is vital in any political campaign.

7)  Fundraise

To support all of these new activities, and to contribute to Republican campaigns across the state, the Republican Party needs a renewed focus on fundraising. A development director should be brought on board whose sole focus is to increase the party coffers. A series of well-run fundraisers throughout the state will collect in-state money and take the party message to different regions across Maine, and a few trips to Washington DC to raise money from the big guys could float the party infrastructure throughout the year. Greater coordination with Maine’s two Republican senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, would also be worthwhile. Neither has trouble raising millions of dollars and handily winning elections. Their assistance could be a big help in infusing the party with some new cash.

The Maine Republican Party needs work. There’s more to do than just the seven items I suggest, but it’s a start. The party should accomplish these goals and then move on to something bigger. A successful future for the Maine Republican Party requires a new set of priorities. Let’s hope Election Day was the wake-up call the Republican Party needs.