A Lesson for the Tea Party: Focus Pays Dividends
Races where endorsement and engagement in the form of volunteers, money and viral activity were focused – big wins!
As a perfect example, see Mike Wilson’s run for State Representative race for OH-28. Mike outraised challengers by raw dollars and total number of donors, had volunteers at every poll on election day and tea party supporters provided well over 100 volunteers for day to day campaign activities throughout the campaign.
Result – win by almost 20% margin.
Of the 9 races where the Ohio Tea Party PAC endorsed candidates, 6 of the 9 won.
Of course the only statewide race where the Ohio Tea Party PAC endorsed was Seth Morgan for Ohio Auditor. The role of the PAC should be noted as it is important. Being a fledgling organization, the primary role played by the PAC in this race was press and editorial writing.
Due to both lack of funds and statewide infrastructure – the PAC did not provide any money to the campaign, nor did it provide volunteers, websites or social networking for Morgan. Without this focus, very little was formally done.
More time and effort will be invested into the statewide infrastructure moving forward. The goal isn’t just to see successes in the Cincinnati area, but eventually the whole state.
In this election, there were only down ticket statewide races and no hotly debated issues on the ballot. Yet another factor that plays into lower engagement from the Tea Party movement – many are disgusted with the party system, so they stayed home having no desire to engage in party politics. Can’t blame them.
We have a whole new playing field moving forward as candidates from most political parties will be considered for support and endorsement by the Tea Party PAC. We will be working in a highly motivated voters environment with governor’s race, US Senator, swing seats in the US Congress and a potential healthcare amendment to the Ohio Constitution (if signatures achieved to make ballot).
What does it all mean?
It means the training wheels stayed on. Valuable lessons were learned. Strategies were noted, and valuable knowledge was added.
The homework was fascinating, and we’ll continue studying for the test.
Cincinnati – congrats!! You lead the way yet again!!
Interesting article from Enquirer on the election: http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20100505/NEWS0108/5060344/0/NEWS0103/Tea-Party-State-losses-local-gains
May 7th, 2010 at 4:58 am
the URL given on the article from the Cincinnati Enquirer gives me an OOPS …page not available message?
why
May 7th, 2010 at 11:33 am
The Enquirer link was initially incorrect. It has been updated.
May 8th, 2010 at 12:05 am
Deciding to engage in the political process is not an easy decision. Both major parties are problematic with unique challenges for anyone wanting to support principle over “pragmatic” decision making and over politics as usual. The reality of two-major parties means that to effect change, principled conservative change, engaging with the political status quo is the only option.
To expand on Chris comments about Mike Wilson’s campaign, Mike is a principled conservative who has proven over the past year that he can motivate, organize and be a strong voice for true conservatives. Without the tremendous volunteer effort on his behalf the establishment politicians would have had a clear path to Columbus. Mike’s volunteers made phone calls, went door to door to promote the real conservative choice, wrote letters to the editor, watched the various community blogs to respond to misinformation about Mike or the Tea Party, attended events to support him, hosted house parties and fundraisers, distributed signs throughout OH House District 28, stood on street corners with large signs to promote Mike and on election day went to the polls and talked to even more strangers all in an effort to make sure your voice has a chance to be heard in Columbus.
Now we have the opportunity to do it all over again. Without volunteer effort, educating voters, rallies, phone calls and letters to our state and federal elected officials will fall short of our goal to take back our state and our country. If you are in a position to endorse or promote a candidate or an issue do it. If you have a little or a lot of time to volunteer to a candidate or a cause do it. At the risk of misquoting Rabbi Hillel,” If I am not for others, what am I? And if not now, when?”
May 9th, 2010 at 6:28 am
RE: Utah
http://pajamasmedia.com/richardfernandez/2010/05/08/r-utah/
May 9th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Yes, Utah Tea Party groups have played a big role in helping to retire 3 term Sen. Bob Bennett and the MSM still think this is a Republican vs. Democrat movement, as opposed to big government/nanny state vs. small government/liberty movement. At this point, it’s best to let them remain clueless through about 2012.