There is an important gathering this week - potentially the most important between last week’s presidential election and the next. It’s the annual Republican Governor’s Association Conference in Miami.
Yeah, yeah… there will be golf, a cruise and fancy dinners, but there are sessions at which “rising stars” will be recognized and one called “Looking Toward the Future: The GOP in Transition.” If played correctly, This group has the capability to take control of the party and steer it back from the devastation of November 4.
There are 21 Republican governors - 8 will leave in 2010 due to term limits and another in 2011. Mitch Daniels (Indiana), John Hoeven (North Dakota), Jon Huntsman (Utah) and Jim Douglas (Vermont) won reelection. Missouri was lost when Matt Blount chose not to run for re-election.
Naturally, the immediate concerns are going to be retaining as many state house seats as possible in 2010 and pick up as many of the 11 Democrat governorships that will be up for grabs (10 in 2010 and one in 2009). But there is more that they need to do.
The Republican governors need to move the center of the party out of Washington. Take it from Senators and House leaders that are too removed from the citizenry and bring it closer to Republican roots. A subtle but very important point came out during Sarah Palin’s candidacy - executive experience. Governors are the Nation’s company commanders - they are doing the hands-on work that immediately affect Americans. From roads to schools to business incentives and the environment, these are the men and women who know the country - the PEOPLE part of the country - best. The state house is the nexus from which another Reagan Revolution can be launched and from where the GOP must - MUST - concentrate its next group of leaders.
With powerful personalities such as Palin, Bobby Jindal, Tim Pawlenty, Mark Sanford, and others like former Maryland Governor Bob Ehrlich and his Lieutenant Governor and current GoPac Chairman Michael Steele, the Republican Party has what Steele called “a phenomenal farm team.”
The Republican Governor’s Association website contains this statement:
The success of Republican Governors at the polls offers a bright spot for the GOP, and their victories tonight show their importance to the Republican Party’s future.The Republican National Committee
Republican Governors prove that when we govern well and stick to our principles the nation still supports the Republican Party. The plan that Republican Governors developed two years ago is working.
When Republicans focus on solving problems we can win in any environment. It’s now time to focus on rebuilding our Party at the state level — not in Washington DC — and our governors are poised to do so.
would be wise to recognize the logic.
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