1818Blog: BJ Van Gundy talks Mass Meetings, 2012, and the future of the GOP

In conjunction with the Georgia Republican Party’s reorganizing mass meetings which begin this weekend, I discuss the process with my friend BJ Van Gundy, past chairman of the Gwinnett Republican Party, current Second-Vice Chairman of the Georgia GOP, and candidate for Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party. We also discuss 2012, and the future of the GOP in Georgia and the nation.

John Dunn: “Explain the importance of the mass meeting process and
the party convention cycle.”

BJ Van Gundy: “It is a total reorganization of the Georgia Republican Party.  That is something that many, even some within the Party don’t fully understand. The parties are not clubs, whereupon rules can be passed to protect club leadership.  In theory and in practice, the parties must be subject to a total reorganization.  The two parties are required to reorganize every two years because they hold so much power…the power, for instance, to appoint a party nominee if the primary victor is unable to continue in a race to the general election.  Both parties, as well, have appointed positions on county election boards and have the ability to place issues on the ballot.

JD: “There have been grumblings by DC Republicans that they need to intercede in the nomination processes so that we don’t have any more Todd Akins – candidates who, in their estimation are ‘unelectable.’  Karl Rove’s American Crossroads is one such entity, a superpac which has pledged to involve itself more in GOP primaries to, as some interpret, pit ‘establishment’ candidates against ‘tea party’ candidates.  BJ, can we afford to do without social conservatives or tea party conservatives?”

BJV: “The short answer is ‘no, we can’t.’  All we have to do is math to see that we do not have sufficient numbers to alienate anyone who identifies with the
Republican Party.  Do we weed out the idiots that give us a bad name?  By all
means, yes, but we as a party did other stupid things in 2012 that helped us lose. Abandoning our core principals and beliefs is not an option nor is it something that gives us gains… but would hurt us.”

JD: “Like?”

BJV:  “What was the Republican Party stance on immigration last year?”

JD: “Self-deportation.”

BJV: “Right. Our position was ‘Go home!’  Our whole stance on immigration was about the southern border, when in truth 40% of our immigration problem comes from expired visas and a lack of enforcement on policing that problem.  We never talk about the northern border, the vast coastlines, and every airport in America. 
We have a problem, yes, but complaining exclusively about the southern border is not a solution. 2012 all but became a debate about keeping brown-skinned people out.  In the end, we offended American citizens of Latino descent and sounded bigoted.

JD: “What is the solution, then?”

BJV:  “We cease being the Grand Old Party, and we become the Grand Opportunity Party.  We explain to Latino-Americans how the Republican Party and its ideals represent their values, aspirations, and the American Dream.”

JD: “So, we lost because our messaging to Latinos was wrong?”

BJV: “That, and a few other things.  Take for instance, people on Electronic Benefits Transfer; what we used to call Food Stamps.  Sean Hannity just repeated tonight how when Barack Obama took office 37 million Americans were on EBT.  Now he reports there are 49 million Americans on EBT.  He repeated this same
mantra almost every day on his show last year. The implication is that Obama
wants Americans on Food Stamps, and maybe so, but there is a time to club your
opponent and a time to explain why you’re the best person for the office.  Back fifteen years ago, when there was a campaign, a candidate would beat his opponent senseless until about four weeks out, and then switch to the positives of his or her own campaign.  In 2012, the GOP was beating on Obama until Election Day, without stating emphatically why Mitt Romney was the better man for the job.  In 2012, there was one candidate promising to cut benefits, and another promising to expand benefits.  There were many people who, though they might
not be proud EBT recipients, voted their stomach over the prospect of losing
their benefits.

JD: “I wrote about this, myself.”

BJV:  “Well, it’s obvious that we need to message better.  Again, we need to show that we are the Grand Opportunity Party. Most people on assistance would love not needing it. We need to show them that, through the values and policies of the Republican Party, e.g. liberty, lower taxes, reduced regulation and support for business that they will have more opportunity to support their families and have that great feeling of self-worth that comes with personal success.

JD: “Everyone in the GOP is talking messaging.  Eric Cantor said the same thing last week.  In what ways would you message?”

BJV: “I was very much involved with the Charter Schools Amendment.  Almost every Democrat in the state, from the Congressional delegation, to the delegations in both houses of the General Assembly went home and told their constituents to vote against the Charter School Amendment, calling it a ‘return to segregation.’  Well, as we know the amendment passed 59%-41%, but in African-American precincts, it passed 78%-22%!  We, as Republicans, need to take credit for that, and we need to find other bread-and-butter issues that appeal to all members of our state…”

JD: “...And?”

BJV: “And it shows African-Americans and Latinos that we are the
Grand Opportunity Party and – BOOM!”

JD: “Boom?”

BJV: “We grow our party by splitting the Democrats’ hold on minority communities.”

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