Friday, November 14, 2008

The Next Executive Director

After taking some advice from emails and comments on this blog, I’m jumping headfirst into the RPI positions.

I believe the chair’s job is to raise money, communicate with the county chairs, and advance the platform of the Iowa Republican Party (no matter what it says). They should also have an eye on strategy but for the most part the chair’s job is to raise money. The executive director should take care of strategy.

As everybody knows, the Party was almost irrelevant this election cycle. Many of us thought 2006 would be our rock bottom and obviously we are all hoping Nov. 4, 2008 is our new rock bottom. It won’t be unless we get some talented people with big ideas in our leadership positions.

Instead of discussing who I think should be chair, I’m skipping right to the Executive Director position. Per capita we have more political experts in Iowa than any other state. Almost all of us have a close friend or family member that has worked on a campaign in Iowa and many have worked the statewide races. We are lucky to have so many bright minds to choose from. The biggest hurdle is actually getting them to accept the position. I’ve put the following in alphabetical order and please feel free to offer anyone I left out.

Tim Albrecht – Timmy’s AFF gig has to be pretty sweet, but, he’s a rising star within our ranks with little of the stigma of a failed campaign directly attached. His communications credentials will go a long way to heal some of the wounds found at all levels of the party. TA’s talented, articulate, smart, experienced, and has few enemies. And since he’s been a staffer under the dome, he knows that side of the coin, too.

Bill Anderson – Bill has been active in politics for over half of his life. He’s a gunner and sees things in black and white. He’d take the ED job very seriously and wouldn’t let anybody walk over him. He also understands get out the vote efforts and the importance of the grass roots. I can see him transforming the party into something we can all be proud of. He works for King and would be tough to pry away. He’d also have to resign as a State Central Committee Member.

Carmine Boal – Someone else mentioned her as a possibility for chair on another blog. Actually, she would be the dedicated, articulate ED the party needs to get organized and function together with all the stakeholders. Whether or not she’d take the job is the million dollar question. She didn’t run for re-election because she and her husband are empty nesting. But the political itch must be scratched.

Rebekah Brandmeyer - Rebekah is the former co chair/executive director of the Polk County GOP. She has had to work with all of the different Republican factions over the years (and she's had to work with the somewhat opinionated Theodore Sporer Esquire) and Polk County's Republican Party was more efficient because of it. In her absence, you can definitely sense the lack of a core GOP organization in the state's largest county. She was even the organizational mastermind behind the GOPFests when they drew in crowds of over 1000 people. Rebekah...COME BACK!!!

Gentry Collins – Gentry is a professional and has run some very good campaigns even though the candidate was unelectable. He’s been ED in the past and did a very good job working in a doomed structure. In every campaign he has run he has had a topnotch ground game. He has to be on a short list for ED. I don’t know if he would take the job though.

Jen Crall – She ran Latham’s re-elect in 2006, worked in his Congressional office and in fundraising before that. She’s smart, knowledgeable, and capable. Jen could be the fresh air the party needs and detail oriented so the little things the Party needs to do would get done.

Matt Hinch - Congressman Latham's legislative director came back to run the Congressional campaign. Latham was supposed to have been knocked off by Becky Greenwald according to Blue To Red, but Hinch turned the machine around and Latham won every county and the district by over 60 percent. Put his name on the short list.

Eric Johansen - Do we give him the reigns? He's been working it for the past several years under a few different EDs and has seen it done many ways. I think he’d be able to run a decent absentee ballot and GOTV program but don’t know if he’s quite ready for ED. He’s a good guy though and definitely should be considered.

Tim Moran – He’s been involved in campaign work since I believe 2001. He’s an excellent ground guy. He has delivered his area on every campaign he’s worked on and understands the role of the grassroots. He did just take a job with King’s Council Bluffs congressional office but he may be swayed into taking the ED role.

Nicole Schlinger - Nicole probably wouldn't take this one if we begged her. Her name has to be up there with the best of the best. Nicole's background in fundraising, organizing major political events, and her continuous networking with the Republicans in this state (from grassroots volunteers to the largest donors) is unparalleled. Nicole's Capital Resources is the PREMIERE political fundraising mechanism in the state, and at the end of the day, I don't see her moving into this role because she is making top dollar while at the same time pushing our Republican candidates forward. Nicole is just really good. Period.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

You left off Wes Enos. He served the Romney campaign their lunch when he won the Caucus for Huckabee. Where's he at now?

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Don't forget Jay Heine, he's been in Des Moines politics and he was the Brownback guy!

Anonymous said...

Well isn't this interesting 4 of the people on this list are Romney people. Looks like the Mittens are taking over the blogs and RPI all at once!!

Anonymous said...

where there is a bob there is a heine

ConstitutionDaily said...

Anon 4:03 - Offer up some alternatives then. Mitt had great staff - it wasn't their fault that he's wishy-washy on certain issues.

They ran a heck of a ground game - just couldn't convince the conservatives that he was pro-life and pro-marriage.

Anonymous said...

Do you know anything about Jennifer Crall?

She is a D.I.S.A.S.T.E.R.

You must have a crush on her?

Anonymous said...

CD - Don't lose us. We are a Party, not a Church.

I'm already pissed about the whole perspective you have with OUR Party in regards to the Flyover Boys, but now you've forgotten a major name on this list.

Grant Young.

Not only is he a great guy and a future candidate some day, but he has a respect in the grassroots that some people on this list don't have. He has been a major part of every campaign cycle since 2000.

I also think you showed a little too much love on the Western Iowa guys. Not exactly rocket science to win in King Country.

Every blog has a learning curve - I think this is yours.

Anonymous said...

I forgot - knock off the Heine and Vander Plaats crap. This party needs to move forward and these guys aren't the ones taking us there. You must be part of the new Koolaid drinkers

Anonymous said...

When I think of constitutionalists the names on your list don't come to my mind except for Anderson. Now if you want to write a post bragging up your own hacks that's just fine.

Anonymous said...

What does being a constitutionalist have to do with being the ED of the party? Its a day-to-day staff work job ... It isn’t a philosophical position like Chairman. Even tough I personally think he’s a little full or himself, Gentry Collins is probably the strongest name on the list. Simply put, he’s a good manager. That’s what the ED is, a management position free from ideological thought of any kind.

Anonymous said...

Dude, you got to show some love to my girl Jill Latham! She rocks my world!

Anonymous said...

Grassley is going to be the guy at the top of the ticket in 2010. That is good for us because he is the guy who can build bridges and get crossover votes better than anyone else int he GOP in Iowa. I think we need an ED who can work well with the Grassley camp.

Anonymous said...

Heine is not the answer.

Anonymous said...

Bill Anderson worked for Grassley. He could be a good ED being that Grassley will be on top of the ticket. Good call Anon 11:00am

Anonymous said...

Um … I don’t know if Grassley really factors into our reconstruction efforts. It isn’t that I’d trying to be down on Grassley mind you, but he’s almost independent of the state party. He wont work with the party and his popularity is non-transferable. Grassley’s presence on the ticket didn’t save Lightfoot in 1998, it didn’t help Stan Thompson in 2004, it didn’t really effect the Bush vs. Kerry margin either. Grassley is just universally liked in Iowa, he dosent turn anyone new out and he doesn’t boost GOP activities.

Anonymous said...
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ConstitutionDaily said...

I deleted some posts that were over the top. Please post with respect to the blog and audience.

Anonymous said...

I would be more likely to back Tim Moran off of anyone on that list. I have worked with him in the past and he is a very hard worker. He also would not let the politics ge tin the way of simply getting the job done. (Something Iowa needs) He also successfully worked with the pott. co. leadership. Anyone that has had to experience that is an Ace in my book. Heck they tried to run they McCain Campaign, Victory and anyone else that wasn't pott co out of the county at the start of the 08 election.

Anyone that can survive and still make things happen in those circumstances is up to the challenge of bringing RPI together.