I was reminded this week that the 2014 mid-term elections—and state and local ones, too, are less that a year away. Office holders are preparing for re-election and aspiring ones are building their organizations and campaign coffers. Actual filing dates are still in the future but the candidates have already started their campaigns.
I am not ready. But, then, I’m not running for office either. I have been called, emailed, texted, by a number of potential candidates wanting various things, some enumerated, others not. I’ll help those I think worthy and ignore those whose abilities and motivation I question.
I’ll not support candidates solely by party.
I will support those who have a track record of conservatism, in and out of office or business. For instance, a local businessman has announced that he’s running for office. I’ve known him and his wife for some time. He has not held office before, so he has no public track record. But—we have conversed on political topics and his views and mine align. I’ll support him.
There is another candidate who actions do not match their words. All candidates make promises. Most candidates claim their opponents are the scum of the earth. I ignore most of these tactics, rather, I review what they have actively done. There are some office holders whom I voted for in their last election that I’ll not vote for again. They’ve lost my confidence and trust.
Confidence and Trust. Two things candidates must acquire from voters to achieve office. Political parties, too, must acquire confidence and trust from their supporters. The Republican Party, as a whole, is losing the confidence and trust of voters.
The sellout of Ken Cuccinelli in the Virginia Governor’s race is an example. The state and national GOP refused to contribute to Cuccinelli and in some cases, actively campaigned for democrat McAuliffe against Cuccinelli. Staffer’s from Eric Cantor’s office helped McAuliffe’s campaign. as did some VA GOP officials such as former Republican National Committee finance chairman Dwight Schar and Judy Ford Wason, a GOP strategist who worked for outgoing Republican Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. When you combine these acts with those of McConnell and other establishment GOP pols and their staffers, it’s no question the GOP is split.
Two days after the election, the headlines echo this division. Here are just a few.
The Republican Establishment Lost Virginia
By: Jason Johnson (Diary) | November 6th, 2013 at 05:58 PM |
Tea party peeved with GOP over governor races, says Ken Cuccinelli was robbed
By Seth McLaughlin, The Washington Times, Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Yes, Virginia, the GOP Establishment did stick a shiv in Ken Cuccinelli
By Matthew Vadum, November 7, 2013
There are more similar stories on the ‘web if you care to look. Among the grassroot organizations, there is a building consensus—#defundtheGOP. I ran across that hashtag yesterday, not on Twitter but as an actual name of a website.
I wasn’t surprised by the topic. It has been a frequently discussed topic since 2012. What is new, is that more and more conservatives, disillusioned with the GOP, will no longer contribute directly to the party. I haven’t contributed to the party, admission fees to some party events aside, for years. I’ll continue to not do so. I contribute directly to those candidates whom I think worthy of my money and time.
That list gets shorter every election cycle.
What is worse, is that the party Ruling Class, is actively widening the divide between us—those of us here in flyover land, with those in state capitols and in Washington. They assume we will continue to rollover for the GOP to prevent dems from winning. The active participation of the GOP against one of their fellows, aiding democrats, illustrates that fact.
They are mistaken. The party is still maintaining course for a breakup and McConnell, Boehner, Cantor and others are stoking the boiler, a boiler that is approaching its bursting point.