Mike Biundo: The GOP’s Path Forward
A few weeks ago, I wrote this post on X about the obvious decline of the National Republican Party as a force. I wanted to get this out before the election to spark the conversation without any potential post-mortem finger-pointing clouding the discussion.
It worked; the post got 28 thousand views, prompting several media members to reach out to me, asking me to expand on my thoughts on the subject. It also garnered a lot of cause-and-effect discussion amongst the consult and activist class, many with some very astute insight. I told the press the same thing I posted about: win or lose this cycle, we need to discuss the role of both the national and local Republican Parties as a force in elections going forward.
The reality is that disappointed GOP donors are moving towards a Super PAC model, while local GOP committees are becoming organizations that exist in name only, talking to rooms full of disengaged activists. The ground game, which the GOP once handled, has been taken up by a fractured group of organizations that are disconnected and not working together. The paid media is sometimes an overlapping mess of dollars thrown up on TV competing for eyeballs instead of going after targeted groups with a connected but diversified message strategy. There are many people making money, but there needs to be more communication to run a cohesive strategy.
Let me be clear: I am not saying that SuperPACs are bad. My company is part of the leadership of several. If we want to win consistently, we need to do a better job of getting on the same page and working together. We are competing for voters’ attention. There are so many ways voters consume media; they have grown to distrust anything politicians say and the campaigns that support them. This distrust makes our job harder, and without one organization being the hub of most of the spending, we need to form better-working alliances with each other and communicate on strategy, especially when our goals align.
Thankfully, the issues are on our side this election, but we have a long-term problem that needs a strategic overhaul. There are many smart people in politics on our side; if we get in the room to work on this, collectively, we can help shape a better path forward.
Ascent Gives Q4: The Parkinson’s Foundation
A new quarter means a new initiative for our Ascent Gives program. We have been proud to support worthy causes submitted by our team throughout this year. This quarter is no exception as we announce our support for the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Submitted by Whit McKenzie of our Operations Department, we pledge $1,000 to the cause and encourage you to join us.
Whit shared his reason for his submission; he watched the toll the disease took on his wife’s family. He saw the strain it caused and the fear it still causes, knowing that genetic or environmental components can contribute to anyone having to suffer through this disease. Currently, without a cure, the Parkinson’s Foundation works to improve care and advance research towards a cure.
Join us in celebrating our Ascent team members’ upcoming birthdays and work anniversaries. We are grateful to have them on our team!
October 24: Matt Silhacek’s Birthday
