Months of Hard Work Results in Valuable Recommendations
Republican State Chairman Joseph N. Mondello announced that New York Republican State Committee had received the report of the New York Republican Strategic Planning Commission, entitled Republican Excelsior: An Action Plan for Building a Competitive New York Republican State Party. The report’s 100 recommendations were the product of more than six months of local party roundtables across the state, meetings with elected officials and political professionals, independent research, and conference calls with state and national experts.
“It is with deep and heartfelt appreciation that we thank Commission Chairman Andrew S. Eristoff and the dedicated members of the Planning Commission for their tremendous efforts to help rebuild and revitalize our New York State Republican Party. They traveled across New York, interviewed experts throughout the state and nation, and have produced a comprehensive and professional review of the options available for our party to pursue moving forward,” said Chairman Mondello. “Their hard work and countless hours have resulted in a very thorough and detailed report filled with many high quality recommendations. We will be working expeditiously to implement as many recommendations as possible.”
“Our goal was to develop a constructive, forward-looking plan to modernize our state party and give it the organizational and technical capacity to serve as a ‘center of excellence’ and coordinator of resources that support competitive local Republican organizations and campaigns,” said Andrew Eristoff. “I want especially to thank my fellow Commission members, the staff of State Committee, and the many local Republican leaders and stakeholders who supported and participated in our review process. We look forward to seeing our state party accelerate the modernization and rebuilding process to take advantage of the opportunities before us this Fall and next.”
The Action Plan’s one hundred recommendations include cost estimates and an implementation timeline beginning June 2009 through next year. The first phase includes a focus on enhancing fundraising activities and expanding the services offered by State Committee in order to support future growth. Later recommendations include a significant expansion of State Committee’s activities and services, targeting a more competitive state party in time to impact the Fall 2009 local elections.
The Action Plan presents recommendations that focus on five general categories:
Build a Stronger State-level Republican Infrastructure
The Commission’s recommendations include steps to modernize State Committee’s organization and management by improving its internal administration, reviewing and reassigning leadership roles, revamping meeting protocols, upgrading technology and management systems, and building a stronger staff structure. The Commission’s recommendations also address the need to enhance fundraising operations, build a stronger sense of community among Republicans, and coordinate State-level Republican leadership.
Develop Stronger Local Republican Organizations and Campaigns
The Commission’s recommendations would have State Committee take a leadership role in providing local organizations and campaigns with access to the latest tools, technologies and services they need to be more competitive, setting expectations, and coordinating a locally-focused 2009 campaign program that will deliver tangible results, valuable experience, and organizational momentum going into the 2010 election cycle.
Enhance Candidate Recruitment and Selection
The Commission’s recommendations target better ways to identify, recruit, and support talented individuals who are willing to represent the Republican Party. The recommendations also address the critical need for fair and open selection processes to mitigate internal conflicts and focus energy and resources on winning.
Modernize the New York State Republican Brand
The Commission’s recommendations highlight ways to modernize the New York Republican message and improve the techniques and technologies used to manage and deliver the message.
Making New York Republicans the Party of Inclusion
The Commission’s recommendations include specific suggestions for enrolling more Republicans, reinvigorating traditional Republican constituencies that have drifted away, and building new Republican constituencies.
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