Archive for January, 2012

Check out a Daily Caller article today the takes a look at the new RSLC program, GOPro, which offers candidates an inexpensive way of getting a professional and easy to use website:

Gillespie’s organization, the Republican State Leadership Committee, has made a six-figure investment in an initiative that promises to replace poorly designed candidate websites with sophisticated, yet inexpensive sites.

The average budget for a state senate campaign is only $190,000, said RSLC press secretary Adam Temple. But a complete website created by the group’s GOPro program only costs Republican candidates $550.

“They can’t afford to use a major DC firm, and a lot of times they end up using local yokels who end up charging them two or three times that,” said Michael Luethe, a political consultant in North Carolina who has run four campaigns using the program.

“Candidates really are stuck in a difficult position between having to choose a crappy website or something that looks professional,” he told The Daily Caller. “And usually professional ones are cost-prohibitive.”

Read the Rest…

RSLC President Chris Jankowski published a new post to his blog, President’s Perspective, outlining the trend of Democrats in state legislatures to block the will of the people through what he calls “election nullification”:

“Democrats in state legislatures across the country are picking up in 2012 precisely where they left off in 2011 – with brazen “election nullification” tactics. The Democrats participating in these undemocratic and unlawful election nullification exercises do so under the guise of protecting a “fundamental policy issue.” I am talking about, of course, the practice of legislators not coming to the chamber floor to deny a legislative body the required quorum of members present. The most recent case is in Indiana, where Big Labor is opposing Republican efforts to enact a right to work law. While some might question the term “election nullification” as too dramatic, it’s actually the simplest way to describe the intent of the actors here: to prevent public policy changes enacted by lawfully elected Republican majorities.”

Continue reading at RSLC.com…

Alexandria, Va. (January 12, 2012) – RSLC Chairman Ed Gillespie joined New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez to address Republican officials at the RNC Winter Meeting today regarding the ongoing state level Hispanic recruitment efforts and the RSLC’s Future Majority Project (FMP). Gillespie highlighted the need to engage, recruit, support and successfully elect Hispanic candidates to help grow the Republican Party and help it thrive in 2012 and beyond.

“If the Republican Party nominee in 2020—just two elections after this one– gets the same percentage of the white, African-American, Hispanic and Asian-American vote, according to current projections the Democrat will win the White House by 14 percentage points,” said Gillespie.

“Efforts such as the FMP are significant and needed if our party wants to establish long-term success, not only among Hispanic voters, but the entire electorate. I have always believed that to compete for Hispanic votes, Republican candidates must look each person in the eye and communicate their vision to create jobs, improve education and reform the way government functions. Hispanic voters overwhelmingly agree with so much of the Republican Party’s message – but we need to begin to take major steps in articulating that vision this election cycle,” said Governor Martinez, who is a Future Majority Project advisory board member.

This summer, the RSLC launched the FMP, aimed at building support for Republican candidates among Hispanics, women and the youth, three pivotal constituencies that leaned strongly Democratic in 2008. Many of FMP’s efforts are aimed at candidate recruitment, including our Hispanic initiative to spend $3 million and work with Republican organizations to identify 100 new state level Hispanic candidates and elect 30.

As part of the FMP, the RSLC has been extensively reaching out to Hispanic communities and organizations to foster increased cooperation, messaging and coordination. The RSLC will also be working with other key national groups to do extensive microtargeting, data work, message testing and focus groups to identify the right voters and the right messages.

In 2011, candidates in New Jersey and Virginia received direct financial and programmatic assistance through the FMP.

“Americans of Hispanic descent, like an overwhelming majority of Americans, first and foremost want to know how candidates articulate their plan for jobs and economic recovery,” said Gillespie. “Our Party has better solutions to these challenges, and we will focus on presenting them. Our focus and determination will drive us to success.”

About the RSLC

The RSLC is the largest caucus of Republican state leaders and the only national organization whose mission is to elect down ballot, state-level Republican office-holders. Since 2002, the RSLC has been working to elect candidates for the office of Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State and State Legislator. The RSLC has more than 100,000 donors in all 50 states. The RSLC raised more than $30 million for the 2009-2010 cycle as part of an effort that picked up 20 legislative chambers, six Attorneys General, three Lieutenant Governors and seven Secretaries of State. The RSLC spent $4.5 million during a successful 2011 that resulted in a net pick up of more than 20 seats and control of two new chambers.

From the Christian Science Monitor:

Democrats in Indiana are replaying a scene from last year by refusing to allow the state’s House to come to session and vote on a controversial bill that they say will weaken unions.

The Indiana House returned Wednesday for a 10-week session. On the agenda: a so-called right-to-work bill that would ban negotiations between a union and company if workers are forced to pay fees for representation.

Democrats did not show up for the legislative session and instead remained in private meetings, which prevented the Republican majority from having a quorum to start the session. Indiana law is written so a quorum is needed for every vote, whether or not it involves spending money.

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From nmpolitics.net:

A judge’s decision to side with Gov. Susana Martinez in redistricting of state House seats is certainly a win for Republicans, but it’s arguably more significant as a loss for Democrats.

The Democratic judge, James A. Hall, ruled Tuesday in favor of Martinez’s plan, saying it’s better because it protects Native American-majority districts while changing districts less than other plans.

The critical quote from Hall’s ruling about the Democratic-controlled Legislature’s plan, which Martinez vetoed and Hall rejected, states that it “contains significant population deviations between districts which are not justified by historically significant state policy or unique features.”

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