Election Postmortem Discussion

At the November monthly Young Republican meeting the floor was open to the members to discuss their thoughts on why the Republicans faired so poorly in the 2008 election and what needs to be done to get back in the saddle. Club President Lynn Krogh presided over the discussion. Among the thoughts brought to bear on our losses were:

Difficulty moving against the anti-Republican tide

Getting off message/Forgetting our principles

Running a national campaign that could not be adapted to regional concerns

No deep bench of leaders/Lack of party building at local, state, and national level

Didn't pursue swing voters

Sarah Palin not ready for the national stage/mishandled by campaign

Economic crisis

Thoughts about what we need to do going forward included:

clear & consistent communications

sticking to conservative principles

developing online social and action networks

focusing on issues that concern voters (i.e. environment, jobs)

We encourage you to join the discussion and let us know your thoughts. Constructive debate will help us develop the ideas needed to rebuild and reshape the Republican Party and provide positive solutions for the challenges confronting our city, our state, and our nation.