With the midterm elections starting to heat up, not to mention the opening moments of the 2016 primaries starting to loom ahead, I think everyone is starting to look ahead to millions of dollars' worth of negative ad blitzes on television, mailers about everyone's opponent filling the mailbox, and fundraising phone calls filling up the voicemail. As I've already started to receive these, I can only imagine what it'll be like in 3 months, as the primary enters its final moments and the general elections start to heat up. However, I think it's important to take a moment to look at what we can improve on, so that we can have a good Election Night 2014 and 2016.
I was far from born when Reagan, in his 1966 campaign for Governor of California, spoke his '11th Commandment'- "Thou shall not speak ill of any fellow Republican." Liberal Republican attacks on primary winner Barry Goldwater were a significant part of the 1964 Presidential defeat. More importantly, attacking a fellow Republican during the primary makes life significantly easier for the Democrat in the general election. Looking back at the 2012 primary fight, you can see this clearly-Mitt Romney's highly negative attacks on his primary opponents, and their attacks in return, made it much more easy for Barack Obama's campaign to win re-election.
More importantly, these negative attacks are disastrous for party unity at a time when it's most desperately needed. After all, the end of the primary cycle is when the party needs to come together most-and yet, with negative attacks on everyone, it leaves a significant number of Republicans-conservatives and moderates alike-with a sour taste in their mouths, unwilling to help elect the nominee in the general election. Again, this plays perfectly into the liberal candidate's hands.
I'm not a fool-I know that primary fights are going to get ugly-especially with conservatives going up against moderate incumbents like Bevin in Kentucky. However, can we try to keep it somewhat positive? The Party-and the conservative movement-will be much better served by having a nominee who isn't already battered by the negative attacks of fellow Republicans. At least keep attacks professional, please-personal attacks do nothing but hurt everyone involved. Thanks, and let's look forward to the next year!
I was far from born when Reagan, in his 1966 campaign for Governor of California, spoke his '11th Commandment'- "Thou shall not speak ill of any fellow Republican." Liberal Republican attacks on primary winner Barry Goldwater were a significant part of the 1964 Presidential defeat. More importantly, attacking a fellow Republican during the primary makes life significantly easier for the Democrat in the general election. Looking back at the 2012 primary fight, you can see this clearly-Mitt Romney's highly negative attacks on his primary opponents, and their attacks in return, made it much more easy for Barack Obama's campaign to win re-election.
More importantly, these negative attacks are disastrous for party unity at a time when it's most desperately needed. After all, the end of the primary cycle is when the party needs to come together most-and yet, with negative attacks on everyone, it leaves a significant number of Republicans-conservatives and moderates alike-with a sour taste in their mouths, unwilling to help elect the nominee in the general election. Again, this plays perfectly into the liberal candidate's hands.
I'm not a fool-I know that primary fights are going to get ugly-especially with conservatives going up against moderate incumbents like Bevin in Kentucky. However, can we try to keep it somewhat positive? The Party-and the conservative movement-will be much better served by having a nominee who isn't already battered by the negative attacks of fellow Republicans. At least keep attacks professional, please-personal attacks do nothing but hurt everyone involved. Thanks, and let's look forward to the next year!
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