Dear Tony,
You are taking the reins of the Grand Old Party of Abe Lincoln—more about Abe later—at arguably one of the most challenging times in the last half-century.
In the aftermath of the one-sided 1964 presidential contest between President Lyndon Johnson and Barry Goldwater, some insiders were seriously suggesting that Goldwater’s Republican party would go the way of the Whigs.
A decade later, I served as the 28-year-old bushy-sideburned chair of the then-Independent-Republicans of Minnesota; a never-released 1975 survey we did had only one in 10 voters claiming to be “Republican.” President Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal had long legs through the 1976 presidential election that, many suggested, would nail the coffin shut on the party.
In each of the cases, however, take note that Republicans in Minnesota and elsewhere responded with effective base building, new ideas, and qualified, electable candidates. The party began picking up governorships and local offices within two years of bottoming out, turning the tide and winning the presidency in 1968 and, once again, in 1980.
After victories by the Democrats in 2006 and, especially, the sweeping President Barack Obama-led win in 2008, the obituary for the Republican Party is being written once again. One of the best-known pundits, James Carville, has already penned a new book, 40 More Years: How the Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation.
If the Republicans play their cards right, Carville and the others will have to eat their words.
Democrats seem to take longer to get into hot water and lose face with the voters than do Republicans; Republicans seem to adapt and successfully recover favor with the voters faster than do Democrats.
In your role as the new state chair, I well understand that yours is a behind-the-scenes, tactical leadership responsibility. Permit me to offer some observations and lessons learned.
Lesson #1: Political will and going beyond abortion, gay rights and guns are important.
My sense is that it comes down to the political will of Republicans and their commitment to building majorities at the ballot box. Redefining the sometimes conflicted coalition of fiscal, social and national defense conservatives who have controlled the party since the 1980s and earning new supporters in the second decade of the 21st century will require going well beyond the wedge issues of abortion, gay rights and guns. Republicans who once focused on individual rights have too often gravitated toward a government regulation of personal values.
Lesson #2: Having two strong and wide-open political parties is important.
Americans expect two broad-based political parties to each debate issues within a broad philosophical tent. It stabilizes our form of democracy. That’s the way that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson framed it in the late 18th century; they each fostered a diversity of thinking both within and between their fledgling parties. Political parties today should be a part of a culture of civility, tolerance and respect.
Lesson #3: Listening first and then leading; it takes both “head” and “heart.”
Minnesota Republicans must do some serious research about how to explain their most deeply held principles—common-sense fiscal policy, balanced budgets and the fostering of a growing, jobs-producing nation in the changing global economy.
Understand that many people do ardently support the uniquely successful and market-based democratic capitalism of the United States while also backing strong and certain regulations to prevent the greed and excesses of the recent past.
It is important to demonstrate that Republicans can best navigate the nuances of how our government and our private enterprise systems work together, lifting the economic tide for everyone.
Policies regarding international statesmanship, once a strong suit for Republicans, must be shaped as an energizing mix of respect, realism, idealism and consistency.
Many younger voters are especially engaged in global carbon footprint issues and want to know how Republicans will protect and preserve our natural environment.
Too many women, minorities, immigrants and disenfranchised citizens, including one-third of our nation’s children, do not feel that Republicans care about them; it takes both “head” and “heart” to lead.
Lesson #4: Individual rights are important.
Back to Abe. As our 16th president, let us not forget that Lincoln was the first to fully “actualize” the Declaration of Independence, confirming ours as a nation with “unalienable rights” of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans.
Lesson # 5: Both an inclusive outreach and graceful tone are important.
Perhaps three of four voters consider themselves moderate or independent, often ticket-splitting their votes. Reaching a greater number of them on Election Day is essential to winning and governing.
As Lincoln also said so masterfully in 1865 about the tragic and divisive North-South conflict over slavery, “We both read the same Bible and pray to the same God” (as I might add, so do most Democrats, Republicans and Independents today).
Finally, let’s pledge as Republicans to be candid about our mistakes of the recent past, to learn from them and to move ahead.
Here is wishing you all the best.
—Chuck
Chuck Slocum (chuck@willistongroup.com) is president of The Williston Group, a management consulting firm; he served as chair of the state Republicans from 1975 to 1977 and was executive director of the Minnesota Business Partnership from 1984 to 1990.
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