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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2008 > December > 06 > Entry
Ken Blackwell is running to lead national Republican Party
On Friday, Dec. 5, former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell made it official that he’s running to lead the national Republican Party.
“After prayerful consideration, I have decided to become a candidate for Chairman of the Republican National Committee. I write today to ask for your vote and endorsement,” Blackwell said in a letter to supporters posted at Blackwell2009.com
The letter is the only item currently on the Web site other than a link to Blackwell’s facebook page where you can become, like Cal Thomas, one of Blackwell’s nearly 3,000 facebook friends.
In 2006, Blackwell lost his run for governor against Ted Strickland.
Here’s the letter Blackwell posted on Friday:
Letter from Ken Blackwell posted to Blackwell2009.com:
“After prayerful consideration, I have decided to become a candidate for Chairman of the Republican National Committee. I write today to ask for your vote and endorsement.
I will be attempting to reach you by telephone to personally ask for your support. Meanwhile, please allow me to introduce myself and present my qualifications and philosophy.
I reside in Cincinnati, Ohio, where I formerly served as a council member and mayor. Afterwards, I ran four times for statewide office in Ohio. I was elected as State Treasurer once and Secretary of State twice … and lost a race for Governor. Including primaries, I have run for public office 17 times, winning on 13 of those occasions.
I am a fiscally and socially conservative author and activist, having served in the past as a fellow at The Heritage Foundation and currently for Family Research Council, and as Vice Chairman of the 2008 Republican National Convention Platform Committee. I am a member of the board of directors of the National Rifle Association, the National Taxpayers Union and the Club for Growth. I am a contributing editor for Townhall.com and former contributing editor for the New York Sun. My columns have frequently appeared in the Washington Times, the New York Post and National Review Online, among other publications. I have been a frequent guest on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and network news programs. In 2000, I was honored to serve as the national General Chairman of Steve Forbes’ presidential campaign.
I offer an extensive background in fundraising, business and financial matters. During my 2006 gubernatorial campaign, I raised $12 million, much of it one call at a time. I was an investor/founding partner in a successful company that owned 20 radio stations. And I even own a small part of the Cincinnati Reds.
As you may be aware, I have taken some controversial stands in Ohio through the years. I vocally opposed tax increases offered by a Republican Governor and helped to successfully lead the fight to amend the Ohio Constitution to ban government recognition of same-sex marriages. The Marriage Amendment passed with 61% of the vote, despite opposition from many of Ohio’s leading Republicans. Along the way, I’ve made some Ohio Republicans angry, but I’ve always tried to take the side of less government and more freedom.
I’ve survived interviews with Keith Olbermann, testified before Congress, prevented voter fraud from overturning the results of a U.S. presidential election and fought the left in federal court more times than you can imagine. I have been tried and tested, though I’ll admit that I’ve never been called “mavericky” by Tina Fey.
My wife, Rosa, and I married in 1968 while I attended Xavier University on a football scholarship. I’m proud to report that 40 years later … she’s still my sweetheart. We have three adult children. Rosa has put up with politics and me for all of these years. And I’m proud to report that I’ve gotten clearance from Rosa for one more vital mission.
In the aftermath of the November 2008 elections, I began closely watching the election for RNC chairman and have given this race careful consideration.
So here I am, appealing to you for your vote, and I am ready to earn it.
I am a strong believer in formality, good manners … mutual respect. But for the next few weeks, I am going to be very direct and blunt. The RNC needs a more basic and more comprehensive change of course than my competitors have thus far presented or, frankly, envisioned.
It is time to completely remake the Republican Party by returning to our core philosophy (limited government, traditional values and a strong defense), reaching voters more effectively (by better utilization of technology, targeting and voter identification and turnout), and reorganizing the RNC itself (spending smarter, replacing staff and consultants and modernizing our fundraising infrastructure).
In short, the old promise that you’ve received from candidates for chairman every two years that you will have “more input” … just isn’t going to cut it anymore. You must demand specifics.
At a time when the Republican National Committee needs comprehensive reorganization and a completely new direction, all of the announced candidates for Chairman have basically proposed continuing the status quo with a few cosmetic changes.
In fact, the only serious and thoughtful effort to overhaul our broken system has come from a gentleman who is not even running for chairman, Virginia National Committeeman Morton Blackwell. Morton sent each candidate for chairman a survey asking 37 tough questions. I have included a link at the bottom of this letter for your viewing pleasure. (I should clarify that Morton and I are not related and that he has not endorsed any candidate for chairman.)
Each candidate for chairman has emphasized the importance of technology. And technology is important … but we need to use technology in the right ways. We need to use technology to identify voters, energize the base, and communicate with younger voters in the venues where they want to communicate.
We also need substantive changes in the way the RNC operates.
I will be proposing an “RNC Conservative Resurgence Plan” that will be a dramatic overhaul of the way the RNC does business. I have a general outline of what I believe this plan should entail, and I will be contacting members of the RNC in the next week to gather additional ideas for inclusion.
For far too long, the Republican National Committee has been run by consultants rather than by the members. I will be utilizing the experience of the folks who win elections in the states, rather than just the consultants in DC who get paid regardless of whether we win or lose.
Micro-targeting is a great new technology that has been useful in our voter contact efforts across America. But I fear that Republicans have used micro-targeting for GOTV when we need to rely on old-fashioned voter identification, regardless of the cost. Consultants have encouraged us all to spend money on items that are commissionable while ignoring the ground game. But just as our country should not ignore the principles upon which our nation was founded, our party would be mistaken to ignore the words of Abraham Lincoln just before he helped form what we now call the Republican Party:
“Organize the whole state so that every Whig can be brought to the polls… Divide the county into small districts and appoint in each a sub-committee. Make a perfect list of all the voters and ascertain with certainty for which they will vote, keep a constant watch on the doubtful voters and…Have them talked to by those in whom they have the most confidence, and on Election Day see that every Whig is brought to the polls.” -Abraham Lincoln 1/21/1840
Voter registration must be a major emphasis for the Republican Party. Of course, we start at a competitive disadvantage with the Democrats and ACORN since we are strictly limited to registering people who actually exist … and we do not get the privilege of being funded by the government. But here is an outline of how we can catch up:
Hire a large team of coordinators to work with churches across the country to help them register the members of their congregations who are not registered to vote; Expend an unprecedented amount of RNC funding to build vibrant College Republican chapters on every major university campus in the nation and use those chapters as a base to register young people to join the Republican Party, and; Hire teams of workers to walk door-to-door in targeted neighborhoods to register voters. As we begin this effort to rebuild the Republican Party, we must not fall for artificial reform at the RNC. And we must not be discouraged.
There is an enormous task ahead and we have experienced some serious losses. But I remember another point in time when conservatives were facing insurmountable odds. I remember when Ronald Reagan was defeated at the 1976 Republican National Convention. Possibly, at no other time in history were conservatives so heartbroken.
But Ronald Reagan was a man of vision. Do you remember the speech he gave the day after his loss that kicked off the then-undeclared 1980 presidential campaign and gave us all hope for a comeback?
“Sure there’s a disappointment in what happened. But the cause goes on. Don’t get cynical because … look at yourselves and what you were willing to do and recognize that there are millions and millions of Americans out there that want what you want … that want it to be that way … that want it to be a shining city on a hill.”
We were greatly discouraged on that day. But during the next decade or so, Ronald Reagan served two successful terms as President, Republicans gained control of the US Senate, income taxes were slashed, the conservative movement grew and prospered like never before … and the Soviet Union collapsed and split apart.
We can have great success and take back Congress and the White House. But we must make real changes at the Republican National Committee in order to make it happen.
Please give me your vote and support in the election for Chairman of the Republican National Committee.
I am ready to make the tough decisions. I am ready to take the heat. I have spent my entire life preparing myself for a job such as this one. I have the passion and the record to match it.
Thank you for considering my candidacy. If I may answer any questions or receive any advice from you, please call me at (202) 787-3883.
God Bless You … and Merry Christmas!”
Permalink | Comments (19) | Post your comment |
Comments
By mwm
December 9, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this
When you have the GOP embracing the evangelicals the way they did for so many years. And, you have a public that is tired of the main stream religious ideology, mixed with the scandals from Bush to Foley to Craig to Haggard to Cheney to all the others. You end up with a disillusioned base. Even the evangelical base is divided. On one hand are the older generation that still cling to the dual issues of being anti-abortion and anti-gay. On the other end is the younger evangelicals that look at all the social issues; war, poverty, the disenfranchised, the sick, the poor. Yes, social justice issues. It is also impossible to claim fiscal conservatism when so much money is being spent on a lie based war. Or, to say you are a social conservative when the economy is in the toilet. If people can’t make a living, they will ignore the social conservative ideology and favor a more liberal and socialist view. If people can’t get medical insurance because it is way too expensive, they will look at socialized medicine. If people can’t get a job, they will look at public works programs. Or a new deal. People are suffering and the GOP does not have a plan.By TRS
December 9, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this
Certainly hyprocracy takes away creditability and some who advocated certain values didn’t walk the walk; but, there will always be human failures. For every Republican there will be a Democrat. For every Larry Craig there is a Bill Clinton and for every Foley there is someone like the Gov of Illinois who was apparently was trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat. All our leaders should be held to a high standard of integrity and yes, morality for those are windows to who they are and how they will lead. That being said, they also have to walk the walk. The bigger issue to me is the lack of understanding of why the founding fathers based the founding of this country on traditional values. When one believes they can name their own standard of integrity and morality, then they may do OK (althought that is doubtful), but do you trust your neighbor to do the same?By mwm
December 8, 2008 5:41 AM | Link to this
The key is balance. The republican party chose to embrace the evangelicals and use their mantra on the public. Perhaps they went too far. If the dems embraced all the ideals of the antiwar, anti nuclear stands and chose to align with atheist groups or non-religion groups only, they would be in the same boat. Both political parties have to show balance. Don’t push morality too much or you will end up with rebellion. Don’t push morality when you have too much immorality within your own ranks. It is quite possible that the public became angry with the “do as I say, not as I do” mode of operation the republicans and evangelicals were using. And, they lost touch with the public. They work for us, we as citizens do not work for them. And, if the republican want to represent us, then they will work for all of us.By TRS
December 7, 2008 5:46 PM | Link to this
rj - those “lunitic fringe” traditional values are the ones you could find when you read some of the founding father’s writings. For instance, John Adams once wrote “we have no government armed in power capable of contending in human passions unbridled by morality and religion”. Daniel Webster said “to preserve the government we must also preserve morals. Morality rests on religion; if you destory the foundation, the superstructure must fall. When the public mind becomes vitiated and corrupt, laws are a nullity and constitutions are waste paper.” Finally, Benjamin Franklin wrote “only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters” (ie, government). The founding fathers were not perfect, but they had a mature understanding that the foundations of government rested in a Creator and power outside themselves. Your last statement reflects the post modern perspective in that mankind is capable of determining his/her own morals. Based on the way mankind has performed across the centuries, the cruelty it has inflicted and the rise and fall of many countries who trusted in their earthly ruler and devices, I think I’ll choose the creator God as the one who knows best.By Get Real
December 7, 2008 5:02 PM | Link to this
To all you supposed “Know it all’s” Put your money where your mouth is!!!! If you hate the choices we have vote an independent or run yourself since you “CLAIM” you know how to fix it. I am digusted at what politics has become. Ohio is and will always be a joke with you morons that claim one party is responsible for all the problems. I would run but once the general public heard my views on public service, I would be the most unpopular person for speaking the truth.By Hardy
December 7, 2008 11:19 AM | Link to this
Will the DDN Columbus bureau please do us all a favor and write a re-cap piece on Ken’s record of actually doing anything in Columbus? You might want to consider: failed attempt to repeal sales taxes increase; failed effort to get a TEL on the ballot; awful general election campaign in 2006; and his ever growing sec of state budget fueled by fee increases on small businesses. Thanks.By Steve Fought
December 7, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this
As a Democrat, I enthusiastically support Blackwell’s bid. Not only will it ensure the continued demise of the Republican Party, but it will really screw up Rob Portman’s and John Kasich’s campaigns.By rj
December 7, 2008 8:10 AM | Link to this
Blackwell lost my vote when he aligned himself with the lunatic religious right while running for Governor. Any politician that uses the term “traditional values” has my immediate mistrust. Who’s values?? His? Mine? The lunatic fringe??By laugher or cryer
December 6, 2008 11:49 PM | Link to this
“less government and more freedom” what else did say? “prevented voter fraud” This guy is such a hypocrite == he fits RIGHT in with the RNC!!!By JP
December 6, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this
Ken Blackwell would be a wonderful party chairman. I hope he wins!By justin
December 6, 2008 9:44 PM | Link to this
well the audience of this news paper is scewing to the left alittle. ken blackwell is a very intelligent black man, but if your black and a demacrate your special if your black and a republican your an uncle tom. guess this paper has leaned one way for too long most reader with common sense that lean right left along time agoBy HuberTucky
December 6, 2008 8:02 PM | Link to this
Well, if yer a democrat ya just gotta love this one! It’s all the reeling republicans need right now is another reich-wing christain dingbat to further destroy what little party they have left. Have they learned absolutely nothing from the Palin effect? ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!By john
December 6, 2008 7:37 PM | Link to this
I think Blackwell and Palin should be co-leaders. It would be the greatest reality show on earth. Put it on the Comedy Network.By Quim
December 6, 2008 7:29 PM | Link to this
“helped to successfully lead the fight to amend the Ohio Constitution to ban government recognition of same-sex marriages. -snip- I’ve always tried to take the side of less government and more freedom.” So he got the government more involved in marriage and denies the freedom to marry to certain people and this is smaller government and supporting more freedom ? Blackwell is a self serving sack of poo.By Patty
December 6, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this
That’s right the only corruption that exists is in the republican party. Not a single democrat is corrupt, they walk on water. They care about the regular people. Democrats aren’t rich elitists, they are regular everyday working people that care about all the citizens. Pelosi, Dodd, Reid, and Barney Frank are just everyday good guys. That just want the best for the middle class and the poor. That is why they will give amnesty to 30 million illegals and fight for more visas to bring more immigrants into the job market for all of us! They care so much for the average citizen they made sure legal and illegals could buy homes with no money down and no jobs. Such great politicians.By tg
December 6, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this
If Blackwell gets the job, it will be the final straw for me - I’m bailing on the Republican Party. It’s swerved so far to the right it’s frightening and Blackwell will just drive the rest of the way.By Savanation
December 6, 2008 2:35 PM | Link to this
Should be “lower standards than that”. Sorry, I couldn’t stop laughing and missed that.By Savanation
December 6, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this
“After prayerful consideration, I have decided to become a candidate for Chairman of the Republican National Committee.” Hmmmm? Is he praying that he doesn’t get caught again rigging elections? But I assume that is a prerequisite to being RNC Chairman. Who better to lead a bunch of crooks than a first class crook, like Blackwell. Blackwell and Palin, can’t get much standards than that.By Paul
December 6, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this
This is hilarious. I’m sure dems across the country would be all for him, because his ineptitude will ensure the GOP losses continue. Just say “NO” Republicans!