Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Steve Frank for CAGOP Chairman: Complete Back to Basics Plan

I endorse Steve Frank for Chairman of the California Republican Party.



We need someone who has pointed out the problems dealing with the grassroots organization.

There's a lack of organization. There's a lot of infighting rather than fighting against our political opponents and our ideological enemies.

I want an ideological conservative who is not afraid to make the case for Republican Party values all over the state. I want someone who is not afraid to communicate, and I want someone who is not afraid to speak the truth as needed to the entire state.

Frank has been doing that with his California Political Review website for a long time, and I have been reading his articles for the last four years.

We need this kind of punch-back conservatism to make California Great Again.

Check out Frank's complete "Back to Basics" platform below:


POLITICAL PLAN FOR CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY
INTRODUCTION
Background
For several years the Republican Party in California has been in decline, as noted by voter registration. Voter registration statistics now show the Decline to State registrations have exceeded Republican registration for the first time and at present there does not appear to be a plan, let alone an effective plan to correct this trend. This Back to Basics framework being proposed is designed to identify what needs to occur to reestablish the Republican Party’s relevance again in California.
The California Republican Party consists of three distinct parts: the Legislators, the donors and the grassroots. Each are needed to assure maximum action and victory. If we are to win elections, it will take all three stakeholders working together, therefore Legislators, donors and grassroots must be at the table making the decision on policy and get out the vote strategies. We must be cognizant of these facts:
·         Without senate and assembly representation we cannot attract voters and the democrat base continues to gain a foothold.
·         Without donors the Party cannot attract good candidates for successful campaigns.
·         And without a strong participation of grassroots, the Democrats continue to have a strong advantage because of strong union participation and the actions of energized special interest groups.
In order to determine if you are going in the right direction, you need to determine the direction you want to go.  Unlike Robert Redford in “The Candidate” you cannot win an election and then say, “Now what do we do”?  This Back to Basics plan provides that focused direction needed to bring the Republican Party back to again being relevant in California.
Current Registration Status
We need to return the priority of the Party to voter registration, to build a foundation for our candidates both partisan and non-partisan. Table 1 below provides a snapshot of registration trends since 2013 when the ‘Bounty’ program was ended[1]:
Rep vs DTS Voter Registration
Jan 2013
Rep + 1 Million
Jan 2017
Rep +250 Thousand
Jan 2018
Rep + 94 Thousand
Apr 2018
Rep + 28 Thousand[2]
May 2018
DTS + 94 Thousand
History
On the 2014 General election ballot there were 24 legislative seats—Assembly, State Senate and Congress with no Republican on the ballot.  As a result, Republican voters are getting used to their leaders voting for Democrats and promoting the rank and file to do likewise. Hence, the reason the number of Republican registrants has gone down whilst at the same time Democrat registration has increased, albeit slightly.  Some key examples follow:
·         Some Republican leaders promoted Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez for Senate, against Attorney General Kamala Harris.  This is not dissimilar State Senate special election in the Bay Area a few years ago that had Steve Glazer on the ballot and local GOP leaders pushing for Glazer—since there was not a Republican on the ballot. 
·         In the 2018 primary election former GOP governor nominee Meg Whitman supported Antonio Villararoisa.  
·         In the same election former Los Angeles Republican Mayor and previous candidate for governor, Richard Riordan, also supported Antonio for Governor. 
·         Numerous GOP donors, like Bert Boeckmann of the San Fernando Valley maxed out to Antonio—though Bert is a conservative, evangelical and a Republican.
2016 Primary
In the most recent primary elections on June 5, 2018there were 21 Assembly seats, nine congressional and six State Senate seats had no Republican on the ballot. A former GOP insurance Commissioner, and Republican candidate for Governor, Steve Poizner, ran again for Insurance Commissioner—but as an NPP—Decline to State.
Not having any candidates on the ballot for legislative office is problematic for the Party. When you add to this the following circumstances, we have many challenges ahead.
·         GOP donors promoting Democrats.
·         GOP leaders donating to and recommending our voters vote for Democrats.
·         Some recognized as GOP leaders pushing for grassroot Republicans to vote for Democrats.
·         Depressing the GOP vote in districts where we don’t participate.
·         Volunteer clubs around the state losing members.
·         Declining attendee numbers at meetings and events.
Reversing The Trends
The good news is that the grassroots is still looking to the Party for leadership. They want to be heard and they still have the hunger to win. It is understood that to win it must be as a team, not a fight against the Establishment. It must be a concerted effort by the Team; the Legislators, the donors and the grassroots, working to provide candidates for every seat, to build up the Party and end the vote depression. We must understand that all three partners to growing the party again, must have a seat at the table. Remember take a leg, any leg, off a three-legged stool and the stool falls. Likewise take any one of the Team and the Team fails.
There are several steps that can be taken to revive the Party. Each one is needed. While we can disagree on the margins, the core is something all stakeholders must promote. Unity of stakeholders will bring more donors, more grassroots and with that, more GOP legislators. It is win-win.

RENEWING/ESTABLISHING COALITIONS - CAUCUSES
Introduction
The Republican Party in California needs to expand its base and its activists and reestablish its base of coalitions with whom confidence has been severely challenged over the past decade. It is time we engage coalitions and community groups, challenging them again to become involved. We need to identify coalitions and community groups and undertake a coordinated and structured approach with them to grow the group, create activist opportunities and a fund-raising capacity, within the community. In other words, the Party needs be seen to be reaching out to engage all those groups that are needed for our Party to again have an influence in California. At the same time, we need to have communities involved in the Party, they also need to know that they have the ear of the Legislators and that the donor base will be supported. Without all three parts of the Team working together to engage the broader community groups, we will not expand as quickly as needed, to make a difference for the 2020 elections.
Process of Community Engagement
Via statewide and local chapters, our State Party offices will approach each with a simple message. “We need each other”. At the bottom line we find that regardless of heritage, ethnicity, gender or other identifier, people have the same three concerns and needs:
·         Good education for their children
·         A good economy with low taxes, limited government, good job opportunities
·         Safe streets and community
This unifies all of us and if we promote our policies, candidates, office holders and legislation, we give voters a reason to join with us
Goal
Our goal is to work to promote limited government, responsive and responsible government and one that meets the needs of individuals and those in the category of coalition. To do this we will need the following mutually beneficial outcomes from community groups and coalitions. This list is not expansive and will continue to be added to going forward.
·         A wide body to support mutual goals through rallies, attendance at townhalls, hearings, letters to the editor and use of social media to promote a common message.
·         Voter registration to broaden the base of support.
·         Surveys of coalitions membership, to get an ongoing understanding of priorities.
·         With coalitions and community groups in specific districts to create broader support for our candidates.
·         Develop grassroot campaigns to promote Republican legislation, district by district, coalition by coalition.
Religious Values Coalition
One of the fastest growing communities that refuse to vote and/or do not register to vote is the Evangelical and Republican Jewish communities. These people are not only in the churches and synagogues, they are in the community, working with, talking to and explaining their values. Rev. Franklin Graham has recently done a ten city California tour to encourage evangelicals to become actively involved in the governing process. In addition, Craig Huey of the Reality Forum speaks across the state to churches and conducts a gathering of Ministers, each month, statewide.  These and the other People of Faith efforts are not tied to the GOP in California, formally or informally.
Notwithstanding the last sentence above, we need actively seek to create both a statewide and county by county coalition in churches and synagogues.  One of the growing GOP independent clubs in the State is the Republican Jewish Alliance, started in Ventura County and forming chapters in several other cities in the State. The CRP has many evangelicals as members, several that are local and statewide leaders in their churches and communities. Our message to the Judeo-Christian churches needs to be clear. We represent their values-based church platforms. Bringing these people into the CRP and involving them in developing the Political Plan gives them importance and a reason to promote the general effort, not just specific issues. To do this however, we get must speak to them in their language and identify with their concerns.
“Every dollar of taxation is a dollar less of freedom”.  The lower the taxes the easier it is to pay for your children, not to have finances as a reason for abortion, etc. We do not need to make a direct religious statement but use an economic reason to get them activated. The less taxation the more they can donate to their ministries and churches.
As part of the process, the following needs to be looked at.
·         Engage with the Ministers Alliance to be bring them into the fold and have them participate. In several major political actions—most notably the Indian gaming issue—they have joined together, got their congregations involved and activated. They were not used to provide voter registration—now they can.
·         Encourage evangelical leaders to call regional and statewide conferences—with our Regional Vice Chairs assisting and participating in the coordination process—promoting this effort.
·         Provide the framework and training to encourage County Central Committees to coordinate with evangelical leaders.
·         Many of the Central Valley and Northern California counties have “Ministers Alliances”.  These are Ministers that meet on a regular basis to discuss common needs and as a support group.
·         Working together on some legislation, this coalition would also be used as a source of workers collecting petitions and funding for the effort.
This is not a targeted effort—it is local and statewide, but based on where the churches are, not where we specifically need more voters. President Trump, if re-elected, could have 1-2 more Supreme Court appointments.  That is a major incentive for People of Faith to register to vote, and vote. 
Second Amendment Coalition
There are several gun clubs and organizations promoting the Second Amendment.  Historically, we have never organized them statewide as an ongoing political force.  We can also enlist gun shops in the effort.  This will bring us grass root volunteers and in conjunction with legislative efforts, could also be used as a funding source.
Working with Second Amendment groups and through them with local gun shops we have a built-in petition gathering effort—making it cheaper and easier to collect signatures for legislative goals that need to be met by Propositions on the ballot.
Taxpayer Coalitions
Thanks to the great efforts of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association there are many counties with taxpayer associations. We can build on them, recruiting for new CRP and County Committee members to be part of the effort. This grows the group and gives them a larger media and community voice.  It can also be also as part of a Farm Team to get candidates for office in 2020 and beyond. At CRP meetings we could hold coalition meetings, so the folks in Ventura County get to know their counterparts in Contra Costa County, bonding and building relationships to make the effort stronger.
Military Coalition
Like other organizations, military groups have had a hard time keeping its members. Instead, they are losing them. This is an opportunity for the legislators, the county committees and the grassroots to work together. The legislators can present a Sacramento agenda that meets the needs and concerns of the veteran’s community. We could create a statewide conference of military groups, veteran leaders and others in that community to determine the needs and concerns. This is also another opportunity to create a grassroots presence and use this group to send in letters to the editor and post on social media.
Education Coalition
There is a large and strong Homeschooling Association in California.  We also know the supporters of Charter schools are major donors—many of them California and National Republican donors, normally.  Inside the CTA there are approximately 40% Republican membership and some officers of the CTA are also CRP members.  With the Janus decision, we can approach teachers leaving the CTA and work inside the organization as well—to demand equal donations to Republican candidates.
The legislators, working with the educators and special interests inside the education community can create new policy and a GOP agenda that is promoted via social media and the grassroots.
Health Care Coalition
This is a major issue and we have a significantlylarge number of doctors and health professionals that are Republican, looking for opportunities. For instance, Dr. Joel Strom leads a national medical professional’s organizations that was used to promote the rump health care agenda to repeal Obamacare. He is from Beverly Hills and worked statewide on the Pete Wilson, Bill Simon and other campaigns. Until recently his daughter was in the Communications Department in the White House—she has moved to an agency.

Agriculture Coalition
This would include the folks with tree crops, row crops and vendors to the industry. This will be a source of fund raising, candidates for legislative and local office and locations for GOP signs during campaigns. We can also work with this industry to provide expert testimony on agriculture and associated issues, like water, pesticides and employment.
Youth – Millennial and Z Generation Coalition
Working with the Young Republicans, The California College Republicans, groups like Turning Point USA, we can give support to our values on campus. Importantly, we can find the best and brightest to be interns, working for the County Committees, the California Republican Party, office holders and a source of trained and motivated workers for our candidates. This is a good training ground for tomorrow’s leaders. Not only should we have them participate in our campaigns and organizations but educate and train them in the modern techniques of campaigns and the psychology of voters and communities.
Local Elected Officials Councils Coalition
To create a Farm Team: Each County Committee should be encouraged to form a countywide Republican elected official’s council. This helps with endorsements, support for other campaigns and shows strength of the Party. San Diego does a great job of supporting local elected officials and having them support the County wide effort. This is a good model for the rest of the State.
(This is just a partial list of potential coalitions)

FINANCES
CRP financing over the past decade has relied heavily on a single source and major donors. The CRP needs to work in conjunction with the legislative caucuses to raise funds for our candidates. The legislative caucuses need to control the money they raise. That also opens the opportunity for joint fund raisers for County Committees, in conjunction with the Caucuses and CRP. This will help build the local finances of Committees and bring big name office holders or personalities to our efforts.
A major fund raiser and promoter of candidates will be a statewide slate card, like the type published by the San Diego Central Committee. The cost of the card is approximately 60 cents, for the large size. Since the Party has a non-profit rate, we could bring the cost down to fifty cents a card.  The card would only have those endorsed by the CRP, those only endorsed by the Caucuses. Or for local races, candidates endorsed by the County Central Committee. Plus, the Statewide ballot measures endorsed by the California Republican Party.
This is both a money maker and promotes our candidates, values and causes. While it can only go to registered Republicans, it builds the brand name as well.
·         People donate based on a specific project—especially for voter registration, ballot measures or targeted races. Can we raise $100,000 to defeat Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin, or money to repeal the gas tax? Requests like this need to go out on a weekly basis—with the first few months building the fund-raising lists.
·         Every six weeks send out a Statewide mailer asking for money and hold a fund-raising event somewhere in the State.
·         While we need to raise large sums of money, we also need to hold $25 and $50 events to start the process of getting small donors involved on a regular basis. Holding a “Burgers With the GOP” event, a little entertainment, some elected officials from another area speaking and a cause for the money.  These are good projects, with direction, to have volunteers and interns work on.
·         Use industry groups to raise money inside the industry. This is done with the coordination of the Legislative Caucus—with regular industry briefing on proposed and existing legislation.
·         Dialing for dollars needs to be reviewed—what works, what doesn’t, can we maximize the money from this source.
·         In the past the Board members have seldom been involved or consulted on fund raising. As officers of the CRP we should use their experience and expertise to open doors for needed resources.
·         A re-commitment to the $500-1000 donor. Create briefings around the State for them on a regular basis, and work this through the local Central Committee.
·         Added to this are the independent fund-raising organization like the New Majority and the Lincoln Clubs. Money spent on Republican and Republican causes is money spent on Republicans and Republican causes—all to the good for the Party.
County Committee Coordination
Need to go back to the basic principles—all politics is local. Need candidates for office, it starts at the County level. Voter registration is needed, candidate development—looking ahead two years, not a few months. Use the County Chairs Association as a training grounds, as Mr. Osborne has done, to make the Committees more effective.
These Committees can raise local money, find candidates, meet voter registration quota’s and promote legislation the Caucuses want to go forward or be killed.
Need a Spring, 2019 set of training sessions for the County Committee members, and CRP members, throughout the State one in each of the eight regions, help them develop a Political Plan for the County and use members and volunteers to promote our values, on a local level on social media and letters to the editor. In strengthening these committees, we make the CRP stronger.
The CRP Regional Chairs need to work with the County Committees and the appropriate Caucus to find and vet candidates for legislative office. We start with candidates for all local races. Identify nonpartisan races in the County, determine which need a GOP candidate and the find and train them.

VOLUNTEER GOUPS—INSIDE AND OUTISDE THE PARTY
Introduction
Volunteer groups are the foundation of the Republican Party. We need to promote them, help them grow and work with their leadership. The CRP has a “Volunteers Club” committee and it needs to be the focal point of growth and leadership training, not just a by-law enforcement committee. This needs to be an activist activity, showing the base of the Party are the people at the grassroots.
Areas for Growth
There are many single interest organizations that align themselves ideologically with the CRP and they need to be quietly recognized for this to encourage them to be a voice for CRP policies. More importantly, they need to become a true part of the family.
An area for significant growth is conservative/Republican sphere are the independent Republican/Political Clubs—the Liberty Forum in the Bay Area, the San Fernando Valley Republican Club and dozens like them around the State are growing and have very active members for campaigns and causes. We have not recognized them nor brought them into the CRP family. While they do not want CRP or even County Committee approval to exist, they are part of the volunteer effort and need to be engaged, promoted and recognized.
The Tea Party movement has been a significant and influential movement in America and in California as have Second Amendment and Pro-Life groups, as has the growing taxpayer association movement in California, led by the iconic Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Not to say that these groups are all single issues groups which they aren’t there are many single issues groups/organizations that should and must be approached the CRP “family”. We also have a large number of “property rights” groups that have large and small groups around the State, though they communicate with one another, they seem to take on only local issues.
 Evangelicals have a significantly low voter registration rate and as 2012, 2014 and 2016 proved, a low voter rate. At this time, there are few projects in California to registrar people of Faith. Craig Huey, Reality Forum a noted State and national evangelical leader, has identified methods of registering evangelicals—but has no coordinated effort in California. Churches throughout the State have a vested interest in being involved in public policy

VOTER REGISTRATION
Introduction
Over the five years we have lost over a million Republican registrations to Decline to State. Rectifying this trend through changes to our recruitment and retention strategies whilst at the same time undertaking a strong recruitment drive must be a major priority with fund raising, for the start of the new era of the CRP and the Republican Party in California. This is an all hands-on deck effort. The lower the GOP registration the harder to get quality candidates—it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Principles
The CRP needs to reestablish our voter registration framework to halt the registration fall as soon as possible. To do this we need a framework of principles along with appropriately allocated resources to fulfill this very important strategic requirement for the CRP. To this end the following set of frameworks of principles for the registration effort are proposed:
·         With our new coalition partners agree to voter registration through attendance/presentations at meetings.
·         We return to the bounty system. Give an incentive to the volunteer clubs and entrepreneurs to register Republican voters.
·         Each County can agree on a quarterly quota for voter registration and a matrix is created to show progress.
·         The volunteer clubs also set, voluntarily, a quota for voter registration.
·         Set up a special account to raise money for Bounty.
·         Work with officeholders to start the registration fund, then go to donors in swing districts, to give money to be spent in their district to help registration for the next election.
·         Work with the CCR’s, YR’s and other young voter’s groups to deploy their members once a month in the community for voter registration.
·         At the convention recognize the “hero’s” of voter registration. For the members of the YR’s, CCR’s give them “free” convention guest registration if over a three-month period they register 250 voters.
Voter Registration Goals and Strategies to Meet Them
We have not had a statewide voter registration effort in several years.  It will take at least three months to gear up for a major effort. Lots of areas of registration are available for immediate significant gains. The about to be approved Mullin Bill, AB 84, to change the funding dynamic between the political parties and the legislative Caucuses makes the roles and relationships between the Party and the Caucuses even more important and defined going forward.
Principles.Based on the Mullin bill, the Caucuses will be involved in the selection process in the primary, including allocation of funding to candidates. The CRP will no longer be needed to be the banker for the General Elections either.  Our principle rolls going forward are:
·         Voter registration.
·         Promotion of absentee voting by our voters (recognizing that many counties will be going to all vote by mail systems).
·         GOTV—get out the vote, make sure our people, in all districts send in their ballots and the remaining people walk in or vote at the polling places that collect the ballots before and on election day.
·         Coalition engagement.
·         Engaging Evangelical Churches by creating an engagement structure and support system to register voters.
·         Through the Small Business Associations, registrations can be done with a coordinated effort by local Chambers of Commerce and organizations like the local Board of Realtors, NFIB and others.
Expectation 2020 Elections.For the 2019-2020 election cycle alone, engaging evangelicals alone should result in 100,000 new GOP voters. Should we add money to the mix, we could make that into 250,000. Money? There are national organizations and Christian leaders willing to finance this effort, as part of the national registration effort for the 2020 election. This along with small business Why would they do this? It will be explained to them that Sacramento controls their economic viability, so why not have a bigger voice in the process.
Introduction of Reformed Tax Codes.Working in conjunction with the Legislative Caucuses the CRP could promote tax cutting, regulations roll backs and other pro-worker and job growth actions as the reason to register to vote—then vote GOP. County Committees could start a “Small Business Coalition” and build a relationship that can be used for the benefit of the businesses and local Committee. This would also help in local races for city council, school board etc.
Expected Outcomes.In one cycle, this statewide effort should provide 330,000 new registrations. Getting national businesses and industry organizations involved would raise that number significantly. Again, this is not a targeted effort, but statewide.
·         Ideological groups and Republican volunteer’s clubs would most benefit from a bounty program. Paying for voter registration will be the incentive for local groups to get involved. They are best able to find small groups of unregistered voters—ideological groups may be the key to get Decline to State back to the GOP? Each would use a Republican piece of legislation to promote as reason to return to the Republican Party. In this way we will be promoting the pro-active efforts of our elected officials, while gaining new registrants. A one-year goal of 25,000 new voters is a low standard for this category.
·         Targeted races will be the key to the 2020 election. The first step is to determine those races where 5,000 more GOP voters would make a difference. As a start, the California Republican Party needs to add 5,000 registrants to the following districts for the 2020 elections. The numbers are from the 2016 certified Secretary of State results.

2020 Targets for Congress
The following congressional seats maybe the CRP key targets for 2020:
7th-Bera received 152,133 votes---GOP candidate Scott Jones 145,168 votes
10th Democrat Eggman 116,470--- GOP Denham 124,671
21stValadao 75,126 Dem Huerta 57,282---Need to be prepared for 2021 redistricting
24th Dm, Carbajal 166,034  Fareed 144, 780---Need to be prepared for 2021 redistricting for potential pick up in 2022
25th Knight 138,755 Dem Cafprio 122,406---This also helps the Acosta Assembly and Wilk State Senate seat
31st Aguilar 121,070  Chabot  94,866 ---There could be a popular shift and Trump is getting stronger with Hispanics
39th Royce 150,777  Murdock-Dem 112,679---This will be first re-elect for Young Kim, plus demographic changes
48thRohrabacher 178,701Savary 127,715---It can be expected that in 2020 the Democrats will attack it again
49th Issa 155,888  Applegate 154,267---This will be the first re-elect for Harkey
A minimum of 45,000 new voter registrations for these Congressional District, after the 2018 election, another analysis needs to be done. That would include at least three other districts that we could target for 2020.
Congress---60,000 new registrations
2020 Targets State Senate
The following seats in the state Senate maybe the CRP key targets for 2020:
21stWilk  160,043  Erwin   142,896  The Dems have already shown this is a targeted race—plus the Dems have targeted Acosta and Knight—all over lapping.  This seat will need 10,000 new GOP voters
23rd  Morrell   184,470   O’Donnell   141,533  With lots of money the Dems will make this a targeted race
29thNewman  160,230   Chang  157,732  This is the big fight for Orange County in 2020.
A minimum of 20,000 new voter registrations for these State Senate seats. After the 2018 election, another analysis needs to be done.  That would include at least three other districts that we could target for 2020.
State Senate  35,000 new registrations
2020 Target Assembly
The following Assembly seats maybe the CRP key targets for 2020:
16th  Baker 129,585    Cook-Kafflio   102,290   This will always be a tough race, make it easier
31stArambuta   62,404   Olivier   35,454   with the right candidate this could be a dog fight—GOTV will also be important
32nd Salas—Dem  53, 056   Ramirez  28,502  June primary shows this race is neck and neck—another 5,000 GOP voters would tip it to us.
35th  Cunningham  105,247  Ortiz-Legg  87,168  This is a district that could become Dem in 2022 due to redistricting—needs a concerted registration effort.
36th  Lackey  77,801   Fox 68,755  With the new Mullin bill the Democrats will have a much better candidate, with lots of money.  Need a minimum of 5,000 new registrants.  Democrats have made it clear this is a target in 2020.
38th  Acosta  102,977    Smith  91,801  This is going to targeted in 2020.  It also affects Wilkin Senate and Knight in Congress
40th  Steinorth  76,537   Medina   74,589   We should have an easy time this year—in 2020 will be major Democrat target
60th  Linder  64,710 GOP incumbent   Cervantes  77,404   Targeted race this year—will be in 2020
65th   Young Kim  69,941   Quirk-Silva  79,654  Targeted race this year—and in 2020
A minimum of 45,000 new voter registrations for these State Assembly seats. After the 2018 election, another analysis needs to be done.  That would include at least three other districts that we could target for 2020
Assembly—60,000 new registrations
There will be other organizations doing voter registrations—but these efforts will be tracked by the California Republican Party
Summary of Voter Registration for 2020
Assembly    60,000
State Senate   35,000
Congress      60,000
People of Faith   100,000
Small Business    50,000
Volunteer Clubs/Ideological groups   25,000
330,000 new registrations, the California Republican Party will be responsible for attaining. This is just the ground floor number. As we work with the Caucuses, grassroots and interested organizations and business representatives, this becomes a much larger number. This is a just the start.
Get Out the Vote
Using the organization of the registration program, that turns into a GOTV effort the last sixty days of the election. Voting messages need to go out to targeted groups six months before the General election to build up the momentum. Since it will be a Presidential year, turnout will be higher—and since the President elected in 2020, Trump, could possibly make TWO Supreme Court appointments, plus dozens more Federal Court appointments interested groups will want to promote voter turnout. We need to take advantage of that for California. The better we do in the lead up to the 2020 General, in voter registration, intensity, the more resources that will be available to the Republican effort in California.
Registration Bounty Budget
Re-Introduction of the bounty system is a must and regardless of who pays, this is going to be a rock bottom price because the price not to do a robust voter registration effort can be seen in the loss of one million voters to other parties January 2013. This is one of the reasons we have so many seats in trouble. It is cheaper on the front end to register voters than on the back end to finance mailers and other voter contacts. The cost of the bounty system is shown in the following table.
Activity
$ Cost Per Valid Registration
Total
Bounty Registrations
5
500,000
Paid Registrations
15
150,0000
Coordination Cost
250,000
250,000
Total Cost

2,750,000

Funding of Voter Registration
Evangelical.National Evangelical groups have already begun the process of voter registration programs for 2020. They need to be approached, not only for the impact on Federal races, but local and State races as well. We have national evangelical leaders, living in California that I am already working with, to open those doors and make our proposals. California could easily register 100,000 church goers as a start. We would coordinate with their efforts. Some have already started in San Diego, the South Bay area of Los Angeles and through organizations like the Salt and Light Foundation.
Single Issue Groups. Single issue groups will also be approached, such as pro-life and Second Amendment, Right to Work and others that have a political arm. Their participation would be based on protecting elected officials that support their positions, and making opposition elected sweat an election cycle, so they are tied down in their districts. We already have connections with these groups, need to make a presentation to them, why it is in their best interests we begin rolling back the Democrat majority in California.
Trump Campaign.The Trump campaign must also be approached—especially for work of its 2016 and new volunteers in California. We have over 100,000 Trump volunteers from California. The Trump 2020 campaign would participate on the basis it gives something productive to do in the 2019 off year, keep and expand the volunteer base and find new leaders for the 2020 effort.
Coordination with Caucuses.Coordinate with the Assembly Caucus, Senate Caucus and National Republican Congressional Committee to target registration to those areas that incumbents need help and swing districts we can take back from Democrats. While this is a targeted approached, it invariably helps districts nearby and our local candidates for non-partisan office.
County Committee Registration Programs.Develop County Committee voter registration programs. Counties like Fresno, orange County and San Diego have raised large donations for registration programs just in their counties. This can be expanded to other counties—and the re-establishment of the bounty will give more incentive for localized registration programs.
Coordination.A separate sub-committee of the Finance Committee will be establishment to look for registration voting opportunities. A special committee will be formed of legislators, donors and grass roots to monitor, promote and audit the registration effort, with weekly and monthly reports.
INTERNS
We need to expand the Intern programs for the CRP and the County Committees. Not only do we want political science types inters, we also need interns for communications, graphics, technology and other segments of the political operation. County Committees could go to local high schools for precinct walkers taking “surveys” of issues, Community Colleges, State Colleges and the Universities for those looking for intern experience in social media, communications, brochure design and IT.
This also trains our future leadership.

2020 ELECTIONS
Increased voter registration, dynamic volunteer training, more hands-on deck raising funds, ballot measures that pushed voters into the GOP column in 2020. This can and will happen with a joint effort of the three stakeholders. The donors, the Legislators and grassroots in a joint focused effort is a winning ticket. Failure to have all three intimately involved in leadership means more struggle and harder to win elections. For 2020 several issues will be a real bonus for the CRP. The gas tax repeal has shown it hits the core of the voters in California. The massive victory in SD 29, the unwillingness of Democrats to defend the gas tax and getting Decline to State to join with Republicans. Other issues of benefit to the CRP:
·         Ballot measure to repeal SB 54. As a public safety issue, each community can be targeted showing the crimes committed by illegal aliens. previously deported illegal aliens make the campaign personal and local. This will also help our voter registration effort. This is a Prop. 13 types of issue will bring volunteers and activists out of the wood work to help get signatures and pass the measure. It is good public policy.
·         The unions have held up submitting the signatures for a Split Roll ballot measure, so it can be on the November 2020 ballot. This will harm the value of commercial and industrial property, cost jobs and force more companies to leave California. When done right we can motivate the senior citizens to vote—in even higher number than they already vote. Young people can honestly be told this hold down wages, and costs jobs. Like the anti-Second Amendment ballot measure on the 1982 General Election ballot, supposed to help tom Bradley, it backfired and elected George Deukmejian instead. This can be as dramatic in a lot of races.
·         Another possible ballot measure is one to repeal the High-Speed Rail. The latest survey shows 31% of Californians now support it. Again, this is an effort to remind urban voters that travel 5-10 miles to work and seldom go over 100 miles from home, that this is tax dollars misspent and money that could better be spent on the local community or as a tax cut.

PREPARATION FOR 2021 REDISTRICTING COMMISSION
The election results—both the winning candidates and the votes received by the losing candidates will be part of the equation for setting districts for the 2022-2030. Turn out, maximizing our votes will also be an important of the final set up of boundaries for districts. The 2020 election will determine if we continue the decline, stabilize or start a new climb.
Thus, this two-year period will set up, good or bad, for the next ten years. Which is why it being so important to have all three stakeholders to unify. Importantly, we need candidates for every legislative seat in 2020. The more candidates, the more GOP votes cast. We build the base of the Party and show the Citizens Redistricting Commission that Republicans need representation. No candidate? No votes. No representation. To save seats in 2022, we need a strong showing in 2020.
This effort must be a collaborative between the Caucus’s, the donors and the grass roots. In this effort, the Legislators need to take the lead and we provide the letters to editor, calls, rallies, etc. in support of the unified effort.
PRECINCT OPERATION
This is the time to go back to basics. In the 1970’s and 80’s it was called the KASTEN PLAN, named after Robert Kasten of Wisconsin who used this technique—before mega data and the Internet—to win elections and have the decision predictable prior to election day.
It was simple:
·          Determine the number of voters in the District.
·         Based on history, issues and heat of the campaign, how many will vote and divide that in half, while adding 5%. So, if you have 60,000 registered voters and expect a 60% turnout, which means 36,000 will vote. You need 18,000 votes, plus 5%. So, you really need 18,900 votes.
·         Your job is to identify at least 18,900 voters to support you. Best go be safe and add another 1,000 to the list.
·         Use your precinct operation to identify the supportive voters.
·         Do whatever is needed to get them to fill out absentee ballots—best idea. Or drive them to the polls. You get 18,900 votes and you win.
·         Think this is ancient history? In June New York had a primary, ten term Democrat Congressman Joe Crowley (who was to be the Speaker after Pelosi), outspent his opponent more than ten to one, lost to what the NY Post called a “ruthless precinct operation”—the Kasten Plan. You do need moneybut winning about “Doing it in the Precincts.
We need to teach this to our candidates for legislative office, as well as local offices.

COMMUNICATIONS
Communications going forward is a critical component to success. The following is not exhaustive, but it provides a start point for discussion.

·         A weekly op-ed to the smaller newspapers and periodicals in the State.
·         Monthly major op-ed for the major newspapers
·         Aggressive use of local talk shows in the small markets in the State
·         Expand email list—work with legislators, candidates and organizations
·         Weekly newsletter—include legislative alerts, links to good articles, ask folks to sign up as volunteers, update on voter registration.
·         Promote Board members speaking to local clubs and organizations
·         Work with County Committees and volunteer groups—asking for help with projects and promoting their efforts and projects.

CLOSING
This is just a short outline of ideas. Obviously, details can be changed, circumstances would determine alternative and additional concepts. This is a start in the effort to reinvigorate the Republican Party in California. The result in the SD 29 special election helped. The results in AD 76 hurt. The good news is that we have candidates on the November ballot for Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer, Secretary of State and Controller. Now we need to give them the resources—people and money—to make them successful.




[1] The ‘Bounty’ program demise was as a result of the Board of Directors deciding this was not a function of the Republican Party.
[2] New law having the DMV register everybody that showed up at the door became law five days previous.
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