GOP in 2008
The political environment has looked a little bleak for the GOP as we move toward the 2008 elections.
Reasonable analysis suggests this should not be a good year for Republicans. We have a Republican President with a very low approval rating. On two of the biggest issues, the Economy and the Conduct of the War in Iraq public opinion is not happy with the GOP.
The Republican Party in past months has seemed to be in a funk. Fundraising has been poor by historical benchmarks and party activists have been down about our chances from the White House to Congress and even the Statehouse. Even in South Dakota we have been down about our chances with the Federal seats and the low level of party activity.
Particularly among the GOP activists this changed since shortly after John Mc Cain became our “presumptive nominee.” John Mc Cain became the catalyst that has reignited our party and caused us to wake up and unite behind our common causes.
First came the Presidential Caucuses that established common ground between various factions within the party. With the filling of all (excepting the Dempster SNAFU) the Legislative contests, the Party under the direction of Karl Adam demonstrated they were functioning at a successful level. Besides the quantity, the caliber of candidates is outstanding.
Last Nights Minnehaha County Lincoln Dinner demonstrated that the GOP is again firing on all eight cylinders. The party has been laconic of late but with the assertion of Drake Olson as the new County Chairman replacing Dick Kelly (who resigned to run for the County Commission) everyone is upbeat and ready to work together to get Republicans elected.
The re energized Party had nearly 400 persons in attendance at last night’s dinner. People were upbeat. The Star of the Show was Congressional candidate Chris Lien who continues to impress the faithful as our best challenge candidate in memory. His speech was gritty and our Congresswoman is in for the campaign of her political life. Our Senate candidates both did well. Joel Dykstra showed he is ready for prime time and Sam Kephart made his best presentation (I have seen) of the campaign.
Senator John Thune capped off the night talking about the importance of this year’s election. He continues (as he did at the Republican State Dinner last November) to stress the clear differences between the Parties.
Democrat solutions = Government, Republican solutions = Freedom.
John Mc Cain though he is fait acompli appears to be the very best candidate the Republicans could chosen. Because of his call them like he see’s them Independence, his ability and willingness to work with Democrats, appeal to Independents, Reagan Democrats, and swing voters - Mc Cain has a real chance to hold the White House for Republicans. It also improves his chances that the current (those will certainly changed) Democrat campaign is in disarray
2008 is proving out to be a watershed year and the GOP is back in the game.
South Dakota Straight Talk
in South Dakota Politics
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1 Comment
Reader Comments (1)
How could Thune forget that in all 8 years of Reagan, that GOP idol proposed budgets LARGER than what the Democratic Congresses actually passed? Yes, the Dems cut back Reagan's GOP budgets every year. How could Thune forget that Bill Clinton actually ran surplus budgets several years and paid down the national debt? And how could Thune forget that Bush Jr. threw all of the Bill Clinton/Robert Rubin displine out the window and ran up our national debt by 1/3 in only 8 years?
As Thune pushes his own government solutions, i.e. the farm bill and his annual disaster bailout for farmers/ranchers, "It's Time" to remind him that Republican solutions = spend now/pay later debt for our kids. What would Sen. Warren Rudman say about what his party has become in the last 25 years?
And "It's Time" to remind Thune that Democratic solutions = freedom from warrantless government surveillance, freedom from endless government detention without trial, freedom from torture (by whatever name it's called), freedom from endless war waged with borrowed money, and freedom from the worst President in American history.
These Lincoln Day speeches may be red meat for the faithful, but they can't change the reality on the ground.