An Open Letter to Tom Morrissey, AZ Republican Party Chairman

As a Precinct Committeeman, I received the email you circulated last week. I looked forward to reading your informed (and, I hoped, concise) analysis of the election cycle.

The letter began with a series of platitudes: 

2012 has been a very complex and challenging year for all of us… 

…From Obamacare to redistricting to the national convention, the primary and general elections, we have been constantly facing and overcoming major challenges… As your chairman, I have shared the roller-coaster you have experienced…

These paragraphs, although undoubtedly well intended, seem to have been written by someone unaccustomed to creating high-value content for intelligent online readers. When the Chairman’s own campaign letter is verbose and banal, how can the Party possibly be providing candidates with “logistical solutions [and] communications expertise”?

Then, an invitation:

I ask that you join me in renewing our enthusiasm for our Arizona Republican Party as we look ahead to the 2014 elections.  While we had many victories in 2012, we have a lot of work to do as we enter the 2014 election cycle if we want to grow our party and uphold our principles.  I invite you to join me in this exciting task.

Thank you for the gesture, but with all due respect, Mr. Chairman, we PCs do not need your invitation to participate in the 2014 election cycle. It’s our party. To the contrary, you need us to invite you - - with our votes - - to continue on as Chairman.

Like any incumbent, you’ll be running on your record. In order to assist those of us who will be electing a chairman on January 24^th in making an informed choice, perhaps you would substantiate your claims.

We have succeeded because we have been transforming our party into a more effective and innovative organization… 

What are your performance metrics? Arizona is sending a majority-Democratic congressional delegation back to Washington for only the second time in 45 years! Surely this isn’t your definition of success. 

You go on to discuss outreach:

Our Hispanic outreach is growing by leaps and bounds…Our message of inclusion is gaining traction and my feeling is that we will now be able to deliver the message of who we are and what principles we stand upon…

Wouldn’t it have been better to deliver this message BEFORE the election? According to the Latino Decisions/America’s Voice poll, support for Obama among Latino voters increased from 56 percent in 2008 to 79 percent this year! Just saying.

It’s certainly a good thing that you’re being invited to speak at Hispanic churches on behalf of the GOP. Mightn’t you ask some of our dynamic young Hispanic members to address the congregants? As Chairman, you could introduce them.  

And while we’re on the subject of outreach, what have you done to engage moderate Republicans, Independents and Libertarians? The GOP has to be a big tent party - - not just ethnically but also ideologically - - or face extinction.

You conclude by asking for our votes.

I need to complete what I started, especially in reaching out to the ethnic minorities that share our values, as we join together to be members of a party that engenders a welcoming environment based on our common Republican conservative principles.

Conspicuously absent from the letter is any mention of how much money you and your staff have raised. I needn’t remind you that fundraising is a primary function of Party leadership. So, Tom, how are you doing?

Perhaps, when we’re fully informed, we’ll invite you to lead the AZ GOP for another term. On the other hand, it might make sense for you to quit while you’re behind.