Showing posts with label Election 2008. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Election 2008. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Tough Loss in 15th Special
After a full day of phone calls and an uphill battle, Republican Candidate has lost his bid to fill the open seat in the 15th District Special Election, 55%-39%. It was a good fight, but in the end the chips didn't fall in our favor. Thanks to all who helped.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
One More Race
On behalf of the Connecticut Young Republicans, we would like to extend our congratulations to State Rep. Kevin DelGobbo (R-70), who will be taking on a job as commisioner at the Department of Public Utilities. Kevin has been a leading voice in utility, technology, and environmental control for a long time, and we all know he will do great work in his new position.
However, this means that we have another race on our hands. On January 7th, 2009, Kevin will not take his oath of office for the CT General Assembly. Governor Rell will then declare a vacancy in the seat and a special election will be held around the end of February.
You can bet your life on the fact that the Democratic party in Naugatuck is going to put a strong candidate up to take the seat from the Republicans. We cannot sit idly by and allow this to happen.
The State Party is already down in its numbers, and we need to make sure we do not drop another seat. This has been our seat for a long time, and we need to keep it.
As we get more information on who will be running, etc. we will let you know. In the mean time, please gear up for just one more race. The CTYRs have the opportunity to play a huge role, and I know we will. Republicans are good at special elections. Very good. Let's help keep up the streak.
However, this means that we have another race on our hands. On January 7th, 2009, Kevin will not take his oath of office for the CT General Assembly. Governor Rell will then declare a vacancy in the seat and a special election will be held around the end of February.
You can bet your life on the fact that the Democratic party in Naugatuck is going to put a strong candidate up to take the seat from the Republicans. We cannot sit idly by and allow this to happen.
The State Party is already down in its numbers, and we need to make sure we do not drop another seat. This has been our seat for a long time, and we need to keep it.
As we get more information on who will be running, etc. we will let you know. In the mean time, please gear up for just one more race. The CTYRs have the opportunity to play a huge role, and I know we will. Republicans are good at special elections. Very good. Let's help keep up the streak.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
One More Seat. One More vote
"This is not the time for political fun and games. This is the time for a new beginning". When Ronald Reagan uttered these words so many years ago, he had no idea that they might become what should be the new banner quote for his beloved party years down the road. We must activate, we must regenerate, and we must become the party we once were, the party we were meant to be.
Today in Georgia, we had what could be the start of that permanent party revolution. Saxby Chambliss has won his reelection to the United States Senate in the runoff election. Now some people may view this as the last chapter to a stunning and near caustic defeat of the Republican Party in 2008. But maybe, just maybe, there is is a better point of view, one with hope for the future, and lessons from the past.
In a year where even in Republican safe seats, losses occured or victories were ne'er as sweet as in years past, a Republican sailed to victory with 59% of the vote. Now some of you may say, "well Duh, its Georgia." But remember, the GOP lost seats in North Carolina and Virginia, which some may say should have held to the same results.
Let Saxby's race be our banner. Let it be proof that while down, the GOP is not out. Let this be our inspiration. We have 2 years and while bittersweet, we have what may be called a victory, in holding off the fillibuster proof majority in the Senate. One more seat, one more vote, one more piece of loyal opposition in the House of Lords.
It is time to rebuild and bring fire back into our withered hearts. It may mean redefining ourselves in someways, self examination and self criticism to know what we did wrong, and what we can do better. But we cannot continue to let ourselves down. We need Saxby Chamblisses all across the country. And that's the metaphor. Standard Bearer for a party desparate for and capabale of a win.
Today in Georgia, we had what could be the start of that permanent party revolution. Saxby Chambliss has won his reelection to the United States Senate in the runoff election. Now some people may view this as the last chapter to a stunning and near caustic defeat of the Republican Party in 2008. But maybe, just maybe, there is is a better point of view, one with hope for the future, and lessons from the past.
In a year where even in Republican safe seats, losses occured or victories were ne'er as sweet as in years past, a Republican sailed to victory with 59% of the vote. Now some of you may say, "well Duh, its Georgia." But remember, the GOP lost seats in North Carolina and Virginia, which some may say should have held to the same results.
Let Saxby's race be our banner. Let it be proof that while down, the GOP is not out. Let this be our inspiration. We have 2 years and while bittersweet, we have what may be called a victory, in holding off the fillibuster proof majority in the Senate. One more seat, one more vote, one more piece of loyal opposition in the House of Lords.
It is time to rebuild and bring fire back into our withered hearts. It may mean redefining ourselves in someways, self examination and self criticism to know what we did wrong, and what we can do better. But we cannot continue to let ourselves down. We need Saxby Chamblisses all across the country. And that's the metaphor. Standard Bearer for a party desparate for and capabale of a win.
Friday, November 28, 2008
The North Face Continuum
There is a new fight out there among the politcal parties and operatives of the world. And it's not for an office, or control of a legislature, or really any kind of elected or appointed position, it's for the support of a new group of people. The 18-29 year old demographic represented the single largest increase in voter turnout for a specific age demographic in the 2008 election. And, while completely expected still astonishing (if that is really even possible), the end result was an overwhelming support for President-Elect Barack Obama.
The 2008 general election saw between 22 and 24 million voters of this age come out, close to 50% of the eligible voters in this bracket. The results? 66% for Obama, with his supporters outnumbering McCain supporters nearly 2 to 1. Shocking, but near impossible not to have seen this coming.
Perhaps it has a great deal to do with something that is impossible not to see on a college campus across the country: The North Face Continuum. Stand in a single spot on any campus you choose for more than 10 minutes, especially during the time classes are changing, and you will see no less than 75% of the female (and sometimes, although to a lesser extent, male) students wearing identical North Face Fleece jackets. Probably about 98% the same black zip up jacket, with the occasional brown.
You may be wondering what a jacket has to do with a Presidential election. Well here it is: the pressures of group conformity. Think about how many young people are enviornmentalists or anti-war, in essence how many follow a liberal path of thinking? I'm not saying there is anything wrong with a liberal point of view, just that the amount of youth who subscribe to it seems to be disproportinal to the amount of youth who actually know what they're talking about.
A recent poll sourced from the Carnegie Mellon's Student newspaper, said that only 37% of voters this age look for a candidate who agrees with them on the issues. Seems to me that that number should be a lot higher. For a group of voters who cares so much about the issues, they certainly don't have a great deal of prevalance in their political selections. But their friends are voting for Obama so they do to.
Its not the quality of the jacket that's appealing, it's the style.
The 2008 general election saw between 22 and 24 million voters of this age come out, close to 50% of the eligible voters in this bracket. The results? 66% for Obama, with his supporters outnumbering McCain supporters nearly 2 to 1. Shocking, but near impossible not to have seen this coming.
Perhaps it has a great deal to do with something that is impossible not to see on a college campus across the country: The North Face Continuum. Stand in a single spot on any campus you choose for more than 10 minutes, especially during the time classes are changing, and you will see no less than 75% of the female (and sometimes, although to a lesser extent, male) students wearing identical North Face Fleece jackets. Probably about 98% the same black zip up jacket, with the occasional brown.
You may be wondering what a jacket has to do with a Presidential election. Well here it is: the pressures of group conformity. Think about how many young people are enviornmentalists or anti-war, in essence how many follow a liberal path of thinking? I'm not saying there is anything wrong with a liberal point of view, just that the amount of youth who subscribe to it seems to be disproportinal to the amount of youth who actually know what they're talking about.
A recent poll sourced from the Carnegie Mellon's Student newspaper, said that only 37% of voters this age look for a candidate who agrees with them on the issues. Seems to me that that number should be a lot higher. For a group of voters who cares so much about the issues, they certainly don't have a great deal of prevalance in their political selections. But their friends are voting for Obama so they do to.
Its not the quality of the jacket that's appealing, it's the style.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
A Call to Arms
It has been a long time since this blog has been active, but get ready beacause we're coming back full force. Seems strange to do this now with the party in such a disarray and pretty much on its last go around the race track. So why this, why now? The answer, my friends, is so much simpler than we realize.
700 days. It seems like a long time, but before we know it, the next set of elections will be here. Regardless of whom we voted for to be the next President of the United States, or the next member of Congress or our State Legislature, the Republican Party cannot simply sit around and let this opportunity pass us by. The American people and the residents of the great state of Connecticut have seen fit to put forth Executives and legislators of overwhelmingly Democratic affiliation. That’s okay though, because partisan politics is good, partisan politics is what the founders had in mind. It ensures that the minority opinion is heard.
But what color is in control of the houses of the legislature should be immaterial to the overarching principle of democracy: to govern. The Republican Party has the opportunity to rethink, regroup, and rebuild. No one has ever said it was going to be easy, but in the end, it will be worth all of the effort that we will have put into action. The next two years are going to be crucial in our efforts to strengthen our party and reclaim our territory on the map of the American political world. Are we going to sit in the corner and sulk because we did not get our way? No. Now is the time to step up and prove that partisan bickering aside, we stand to serve the people of our state and nation.
To govern is to choose, and it would seem that our party has two choices: play the role of the immature child who holds its breath and stomps its feet when daddy says no to a candy bar, or the role of the wise and sage trustee of the American people. We do not have to work for the Democratic Party, but we do need to work with them. When we do, when we set aside any excuses that anyone may have to say that the GOP is vindictive and bad for the American people. There is only good, there is only the opportunity to speak. Let us be vocal in our opposition to the ideals we do not believe in and do the same in support of the ideals we hold true. Let us raise the level of public debate in this world and let that be our legacy
700 days. It seems like a long time, but before we know it, the next set of elections will be here. Regardless of whom we voted for to be the next President of the United States, or the next member of Congress or our State Legislature, the Republican Party cannot simply sit around and let this opportunity pass us by. The American people and the residents of the great state of Connecticut have seen fit to put forth Executives and legislators of overwhelmingly Democratic affiliation. That’s okay though, because partisan politics is good, partisan politics is what the founders had in mind. It ensures that the minority opinion is heard.
But what color is in control of the houses of the legislature should be immaterial to the overarching principle of democracy: to govern. The Republican Party has the opportunity to rethink, regroup, and rebuild. No one has ever said it was going to be easy, but in the end, it will be worth all of the effort that we will have put into action. The next two years are going to be crucial in our efforts to strengthen our party and reclaim our territory on the map of the American political world. Are we going to sit in the corner and sulk because we did not get our way? No. Now is the time to step up and prove that partisan bickering aside, we stand to serve the people of our state and nation.
To govern is to choose, and it would seem that our party has two choices: play the role of the immature child who holds its breath and stomps its feet when daddy says no to a candy bar, or the role of the wise and sage trustee of the American people. We do not have to work for the Democratic Party, but we do need to work with them. When we do, when we set aside any excuses that anyone may have to say that the GOP is vindictive and bad for the American people. There is only good, there is only the opportunity to speak. Let us be vocal in our opposition to the ideals we do not believe in and do the same in support of the ideals we hold true. Let us raise the level of public debate in this world and let that be our legacy
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