GOP's future: More trouble ahead?

Posted: Thursday, November 06, 2008 9:22 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Republicans

“Thumped convincingly in consecutive election cycles, the Republican Party now finds itself in its worse straits since the rise of the conservative coalition -- a minority party without the White House, fewer seats in the House and Senate, only 21 governors and full control of just 14 state legislatures,” Politico’s Martin writes. “Most ominously for Republicans, the GOP is increasingly becoming less grand than old -- and outdated. As reflected in Tuesday’s results and exit polls, it’s a party that is overwhelmingly white, rural and aged in a country that is rapidly becoming racially mixed, suburban and dominated by a post-baby boomer generation with no memory of Vietnam or the familiar culture wars of the past.

"Beyond demography, the party is now, thanks to the outgoing president and some members of Congress, perceived by many voters as either incompetent, corrupt, or just not standing for much. Even on fiscal issues -- for decades central to the GOP’s appeal -- Republicans now lag.”

The AP asks, "Is Sarah Palin the answer for defeated Republicans? … In her hometown of Wasilla in the Anchorage suburbs, 'Palin 2012' T-shirts are already for sale. When she returned to Alaska on Wednesday night after losing the election, she was greeted at the Anchorage airport by chants of '2012! 2012!' Asked by reporters if she might run for president, Palin said, 'We'll see what happens then.'" Others Republican names to watch: Mitt Romney, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who "is heading to the leadoff caucus state of Iowa on Nov. 22 to deliver the keynote address to a conservative group."

Jennifer Rubin makes a good point: It's amazing the Dem landslide wasn't worse. More proof we're a center-right country?

Roll Call looks at Republicans' Senate map for 2010. Sens. Jim Bunning (KY), Judd Gregg (NH), George Voinovich (OH), David Vitter (LA), and Mel Martinez (FL) -- among others -- will all be playing defense in two years.

NRCC Chair Tom Cole is fighting to keep his spot at the top of the House race battle team. "In a memo to his GOP colleagues in which he asks them to grant him another term at the helm of the National Republican Congressional Committee, NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (Okla.) makes his case on the grounds that Tuesday's loss of approximately 20 seats amounted to a victory of sorts given the toxic political environment for Republicans and predictions that the House GOP Conference would lose well in excess of 30 seats."

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Comments

The GOP get's what it deserved. They are completly out of touch with America right now. I'm a ashamed republican right now. We're not acting like true republicans and haven't for some time now. Thankfully "W" is finally out of there. Maybe now we can get some true republican leadership and turn the party around.

Chris, Texas (Sent Thursday, November 06, 2008 12:06 PM)

Many of their problems are self generated. If they had not put in so much "pork" in the budgets when they were in charge among other things; that could have endeared them to the voters more. I think the major problem is that George W. Bush didn't act like a conservative and major policy problems. The conflict in Iraq being the major one. If there had been a voice there that said "slow down and listen to the other side," that would have changed things so much.

The other people mentioned are good people to watch except for Palin. If she shows up again, she needs to show that she has learned a great deal more than being an ideolog.

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Thursday, November 06, 2008 12:16 PM)

Jennifer Rubin:

I guess the election of 2004 proved the nation is center-left, right? After all, with all the demonization of Democrats that went on from the bully pulpit and the media that reported every false allegation against Kerry as if they were fact, the Republicans won the White House with a smaller margin, held the house with a smaller margin, and held the Senate with either the same or a smaller margin than the Democrats have starting in 2009.

Seriously, Obama had to deal with racist voters, was accused of being a terrorist, a socialist, and was even treated to shouts of "kill him" at Republican rallies. With all this, he won by 7.6 million votes, twice as many as George W. Bush won with in 2004. He received 2.2 million more votes than W did.

Saying the country is obviously center-right is nothing but pure spin. It may be center-right, but this election is not indicative of it.

Sherman Peabody, Blue Ridge, GA (Sent Thursday, November 06, 2008 1:52 PM)

I have a suggestion for the future of the GOP -- let them all immigrate to Alaska and then ceceed from the Union. America will be far better off with right wing republicans no where in sight, much less in control of power.

Good riddance!

Joe, MN (Sent Thursday, November 06, 2008 2:00 PM)

this election was the result of 8 great years of governing by the republican party. The united states will always be highly competitive and if your not the sharpest and best at that time you will lose your job, position and even your shirt. If the republicans want to turn the party around they need to get back to the core of thier values. For example a balance budget and resonalble deficit! good international diplomatic and military policy and a business policy that "trickles down" to the poorer people of the US and not rich business men in china and india. Unfortunately for the party, the minority voter populations and youth vote have a negative image burned in the back of thier heads and if the new democratic party outperforms expectations it will only be another hurdle for the damaged decapitated republican party, and a buyers satisfaction for this new voter block.

Youth voters are going to be a strong liberal base in the comming decades much like the regan voters are still diehard conservatives, it only serves as another hurdle for reps. i warned my friend who is trying to run for republican office to retreat to state and local offices where a new base and new image can be rebuilt, considering most dems and independents are not straight ticket voters, this is a good place to get some headway, and work your way up to the top

jay m, raleigh nc (Sent Thursday, November 06, 2008 2:36 PM)

The concern now is the amount of time it will take for the media to finally look past the significance of an Obama election and begin to question how he will govern and what he will accomplish. I think one of the biggest drivers in the media bias toward Sen Obama as a candidate was the love affair with what he represented to American history as opposed to his positions on issues.
The country was and is ready for something new - no Clintons, no Bushs, someone different. President Elect Obama's biggest issue now is that he must accomplish something otherwise the Democrats will lose in the mid-terms and he will not win a second term. This will be in conflict with Speaker Pelosi who has heretofore decided what legislation she will bring to the floor of the House. Hopefully she will abdicate power to the new president in hopes that he can get going with some of his campaign promises.

Scott C, Washington, DC (Sent Thursday, November 06, 2008 3:40 PM)

The Republican Party will probably break up into factions: the social conservatives who would like no more than having a throcracy imposed on the American people, and the economic conservatives, who would like to run government like a corporation. Both factions are completely out-of-touch with today's America and if Obama succeeds in his administration, it will be very difficult for the republicans to regain power. The current condition of the Republican Party is the fault of one person: George W. Bush. He will be rememberd as the person who, by his own incompetence, destroyed his own party.

Loren Chico, San Diego, CA (Sent Thursday, November 06, 2008 4:02 PM)

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