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Republicans Must Earn the Votes to Win in 2016

February 2, 2015 By Sara Johnson

Republicans Must Earn the Votes to Win in 2016

GOP Presidential Candidates Debate National Security Issues In Washington

The 2014 elections were good to Republicans. We took back the US Senate. Illinois elected a Republican Governor Bruce Rauner.  Utah elected black Republican Congresswoman Mia Love. 18 year old, Saira Blair, was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates. South Carolina sent black Republican Tim Scott to the US Senate.

Our state reelected Gov. Scott in what was expected to be a much closer race and we restored a super majority in the Florida house (one of the new members being Republican Jennifer Sullivan, the youngest female ever elected to the Florida House). Our party’s representatives are young, energetic, smart, and ready to serve…. The antithesis of Hilary Clinton, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and Elizabeth Warren.

Top down we demonstrated exactly what we believe in and stand for. We have the Democratic Party shaking in their boots at the thought of what we’re capable of if we keep this up heading into the 2016 election. But let’s not forget the outcome of the last two presidential elections. What lesson did Republicans embrace this year?

We as Republicans seem to have contempt for primary opponents (Case in point: Mitt – Jeb sorority-esque drama 2 years out). But if you take a good look at the races with tough primaries you’ll see they often result in a candidate that is prepared to face a Democratic opponent in the general election.

In 2014 Republicans opposed Primary Election entitlement, and in doing so we recognized strength comes from a robust primary battle.

Tough primaries fuel a desire to win and a work ethic to make it happen. Candidates who want to win realize their #1 priority is their neighbor the voter, and they become committed to serving them and hearing their concerns. This is a priority that the candidate carries with them into public office, and keeps them from complacency in their commitment to service.

Our greatest challenge in 2016 is to pursue the debate. Let’s not be so afraid of division that we weaken ourselves, and therefore our opportunity to lead the nation from the White House.

We can prove to the whole nation that we are prepared to lead, but first our candidate must prove it to us.

In 2016 let’s fight for and earn our opportunity to serve our nation in the executive branch.

Filed Under: Florida, Inside the Movement, POTUS, Swing States Tagged With: GOP, RPOF, Sayfie, Young Republicans

Crisis Averted in Broward County GOP

December 7, 2010 By Nick Stone

by Nick Stone of Drawnlines Politics.

Muckrakers and rabble-rousers suffered ego-deflating losses last night as a drawn out leadership battle ended with Richard DeNapoli narrowly elected as the new chair of the Broward Republican Party.

Before the election, an 11th hour smear campaign was launched by nefarious characters in an attempt to sway the election. Speculation arose that as treasurer, DeNapoli failed to file financial reports to the Supervisor of Elections. The charges were slapped down outright by the SOE’s office as well as outgoing Chairman Cindy Guerra. When that attack failed, one particularly unseemly blogger launched a new campaign calling into question campaign donations to former Broward GOP Chairman Chip LaMarca. In the end, neither attack stuck and Richard eeked out a victory.

DeNapoli won on the second ballot after failing to secure an outright majority by only two votes. He faced opposition from Republican leaders Jay Narang, Tom Truex, and Gene Robinson. After the first ballot left Narang and Truex carrying roughly half of DeNapoli’s total apiece, Narang bowed out and urged his supporters to support Truex in his place. This move was anticipated, as few thought Narang would win and a rift between Narang and DeNapoli is widely acknowledged.

Not necessarily expected was what came next. Many people I talked to suspected that Robinson’s 14 first ballot voters would be urged to back DeNapoli, which could put him over the top. But alas Robinson joined Narang in supporting Truex. As the election dragged on, it became clear that more than a dozen REC members had abandoned the election and left the room. It was unclear whether those members were potential DeNapoli voters or Truex voters.

The second round of balloting was ultimately much smoother, but just as close. DeNapoli carried the election, 129-125.

DeNapoli is a long time Republican activist in New York and Florida. He has served on the Florida Real Estate Commission and as an advisor to several high profile campaigns. While describing himself as a conservative, his election is still seen as a victory for moderates in the party who had concerns over candidates Jay Narang and Tom Truex. His ties to one-time GOP heavyweights Charlie Crist and Bill McCollum caused ill feelings among some BREC members, though Richard promptly campaigned for the eventual nominee in both races.

Few REC members question the leadership ability or Republican bona fides of the opposition candidates. Narang prides himself for coalition building abilities and his success rapidly expanding and mobilizing the Southwest Broward Republican Club during his term as president. Mayor Truex brought to the table a history of leadership through large, contentious meetings and offering fair hearing to the concerns of all factions. The three men offered plans that diverged more over detail than ideology. And Robinson’s fourth generation Republican pedigree brings with it plenty of heartwarming stories about what’s right with the party.

The new chairman will serve with incoming Vice Chair Colleen Stolberg, Treasurer Mark McCarthy and Secretary (and Drawnlines Politics contributor) Sheela Venero.

DeNapoli has pledged to fill Broward’s nearly 800 precincts with precinct captains to make the Republican Party more competitive in all corners of the county. He plans to create a new non-voting Chair of club presidents, a move which promises to better coordinate and mobilize Broward’s many Republican clubs during and between elections. He has repeated his dedication to grow Republican voter registrations and thwart the growth of nonaffiliated (NPA) voters that threaten to overtake the number of Republicans in the county.

A pillar of Chairman DeNapoli’s platform is “GOP Unity.” With the contentious 2010 Midterms and a close leadership fight now behind us, Republicans will look to him to quickly lead us toward that goal. Calmer heads prevailed last night, but there is no doubt that wing nuts and rabble-rousers have become an entrenched and powerful minority in our party. Their juvenile, awkward, unhelpful cries for attention are here to stay unless DeNapoli takes steps to have them written off of the REC rolls for actions contrary to our party.

As Chairman Guerra rightly said, “[They] are the real RINOs.”

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Filed Under: Florida Tagged With: Broward REC, GOP, Republican Party, Richard DeNapoli, Young Republicans

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