Sunday, May 10, 2009
The state of the national Republican Party has been under a microscope with Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's recent switch of political parties. I can't fully answer the question of what his decision will mean at the national level, but if you look at the GOP through a local lens, you see a story of strength and vitality.
Since March 2008, the Loudoun County Republican Committee's membership has increased 64 percent.
In 2008, Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.) trounced his opponent in the 10th Congressional District race, getting almost 60 percent of the vote. The Loudoun Republican Committee was the only political group in the county to take a public stand against the meals tax ballot question, which went down in flames, 69 to 31 percent.
Although President Obama's campaign had a large presence in Loudoun in the fall, much of it came from outside the county (and state). By contrast, we had nearly 400 Loudouners volunteering on Election Day, covering polling locations from opening to closing.
More recently, the Loudoun Republican Committee passed a resolution urging the Board of Supervisors to hold the line on tax increases and cut county spending in the face of a budget deficit of more than $200 million.
With Specter's defection from the GOP and the likely seating of Democrat Al Franken in Minnesota, Obama and the Democrats will have what they want: total and uncontested control of Congress. However, with that control comes responsibility and accountability.
Many Loudouners have soured on the Democrats' eye-popping stimulus package, which will cost American taxpayers trillions of dollars. That spending, coupled with Loudouners paying the highest property tax rate in our region, will cause voters to question whether this is the direction in which they want the county and the country to go.
Although Democrats will have to accept responsibility for the current state of affairs, Republicans must understand that we can't simply count on the Democrats' failures to propel us to victory. It will take proper messaging, strong candidates and a labor-intensive grass-roots operation.
Unanimity on any issue is an impossibly high standard to reach. However, there is major consensus among Republicans on myriad issues, including taxes, spending, public safety, illegal aliens, defense, education, freedom, entrepreneurship, marriage, life, guns and transportation.
Our recent losses are not attributable to any problems with our core values and principles. More likely, recent defeats were a result of straying from these principles.
Republicans need to do a better job of marketing our values and solutions to the electorate. We need to ensure that we have the right messengers telling our story. And we need to stop letting our opponents define us and our philosophy.
Coupled with a vibrant grass-roots effort, this is the formula for victory in Loudoun. Please go to www.loudoungop.com for more information.
Glen Caroline, Chairman, Loudoun County, Republican Committee
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