Laying the building blocks in 2009 for GOP victory in 2010

by Rob Gleason

Pennsylvania Republicans have many reasons to be optimistic heading into the 2010 U.S. Senate and Gubernatorial elections. With a series of important victories in 2008 and 2009, a strong field of qualified candidates and an electorate tired of the Democrats’ wasteful spending policies in both Washington and Harrisburg, Republicans stand ready to achieve great success in the 2010 election cycle.

Our party will be entering the 2010 election cycle with the momentum of key victories at the statewide and local levels. In the midst of a national tidal wave of support for President Barack Obama, the Republican Party of Pennsylvania has won some critically important elections. Our Attorney General Tom Corbett won his statewide bid for re-election by achieving the highest vote total of any Republican in the history of the Commonwealth.

With Democrats rolling to electoral victories all over the nation, Pennsylvania voters bucked the trend, instead choosing to support principled Republican candidates that allowed us to increase our majority in the state Senate, making the Pennsylvania Senate the only Republican-controlled legislative body from Virginia to Maine.

In early March, our party’s candidate, Dave Argall, enjoyed a 24-point victory in the 29th State Senatorial District Special Election. This was an election that took place in a swing district where many thought the Democrats had a chance of winning. With a strong candidate, better message and strong ground game, our party sprinted to a decisive victory.

With the 2009 statewide judicial elections on the horizon, our party is in a great position to make a statement by delivering big wins in these key races. We have a group of extremely qualified and experienced candidates who are of the highest integrity running for these important elections. Led by Judge Joan Orie Melvin, our Supreme Court candidate, the PA GOP’s endorsed judicial ticket stands poised to sweep these critically important seats. The 2009 elections will be all about which party has the best turnout and we understand that it is imperative that our party work to get-out-the-vote.

In order to ensure that our ground game is operating at the highest level possible, we’re focused on county-party development. In the coming months, our county parties will be organizing volunteers, registering voters and most importantly getting out the word about our judicial candidates. We have the candidates, we have a message built around a strong group of ethical jurists and we will have a ground game that will enable us to push a high Republican turnout in what is traditionally a low turnout election.

With an eye towards the future, we know that after the 2009 election we will have an expanded staff and resources ready to hit the ground running for our Republican candidates next January. Everything our party is implementing and creating today will serve as building blocks for a successful 2010.

With President Obama leading our country down the path of increased spending, higher taxes and with his adoption of a foreign policy that is predicated upon appeasing and apologizing to our country’s enemies, we feel confident that our strongly principled Republican candidates will provide a sharp contrast with a much different vision for our country’s future. As voters, we want to elect officials who share our interests and values, which are overwhelmingly in line with those of the Republican Party.

Thankfully, our party can boast an abundance of qualified candidates who truly understand that reality as well as the many needs and challenges facing our Commonwealth. The 2010 elections are well over a year away, yet Republicans can already boast a full field of contenders who recognize the strong possibilities of Republican victories in November. These are distinguished and accomplished people who would certainly not be sacrificing their time and efforts unless they believed voters are receptive to the Republican message. All Republican candidates have proved to have a better vision for Pennsylvania than their potential Democrat opponents.

They are also candidates who will be relying on our vast network of grassroots volunteers, who are more active and mobilized than ever before. Our Party has the best grassroots network in the Commonwealth, and we are prepared to utilize our tremendous resources to ensure our party’s success in the 2009 and 2010 General Elections.

The Republican Party’s chances of success in the 2010 election cycle are strong. While our current focus remains with our endorsed judicial ticket and their respective elections, we are ready and eager to begin working hard to send Republicans to fight for our principles in Washington and Harrisburg.

The writer is Chairman of the state Republican Party.