Like GOP outreach plan, delegate rules divide GOP

April 10, 2013 @ 5:51 pm

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Frustration over Republican presidential nominating rules could threaten whether a plan to revive the GOP takes hold among the party's most conservative activists.

Members of the Republican National Committee, meeting in Los Angeles this week, are already giving mixed reviews to a report that prescribes outreach to minority voters and softening the GOP's tone on hot-button issues.

But some conservative activists say lingering anger about rules aimed at streamlining the party's presidential nominating process take power away from the GOP grassroots national party leaders say they want to empower.

"We need to make a strong statement that this party isn't top down, it's bottom up," Texas Republican Party Chairman Steve Munisteri said during debate over rules changes.

Munisteri and others are upset about a rule, adopted at the party's national convention in Tampa last year, that requires national convention delegates to vote to nominate the candidate who wins their state's primary election or caucus.

In a partial victory for the rule's opponents, an RNC committee voted Wednesday to release states that hold caucuses from the rule. The full RNC is expected to vote on the change Friday.

"I would describe it as a victory for the party's grassroots," said the amendment's sponsor, Jeff Johnson of Minnesota.

The simmering rules quarrel comes as national committee Chairman Reince Priebus is trying to build support for a plan to attract more young, Latino, African American, Asian and gay voters to the party. These groups heavily backed President Barack Obama over Republican Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.

As with the rules conflict, the report issued by the RNC last month after 3 months of study, is viewed by some GOP activists as a dictate from party officials more concerned with winning than reinforcing the party's principles.

But former RNC committeeman from Michigan Saul Anuzis said both issues stem from anger over losing to Obama, whom Republicans viewed as vulnerable, and highlights tension between state-level party activists who preferred a more conservative nominee than Romney, and moderates who saw the former Massachusetts governor as a better match for Obama.

"I think that there's clearly a tremendous amount of frustration in the grassroots for losing," said Anuzis.

At issue with some RNC members is their perception that the report suggests softened positions on hot-button topics such as gay marriage and immigration.

"We've got to start somewhere _ as long as we don't abandon the platform," said Alabama Republican Joan Reynolds.

Some Republican leaders have said the report would alienate the party's most devout members, and cost the party more votes than it gains.

Committee officials said Wednesday the RNC remains committed to its long-held positions in opposition to allowing immigrants in the country illegally to stay and opposing gay marriage. But Priebus' report, based on three months of work by a team of national party strategists, states starkly that the GOP has lost the ability to attract voters who disagree.

The meeting is a chance to convince them of that hard truth, party officials said. "This is the first time anyone is in one place able to talk through what's been said in the last month about the plan to move forward," said Kirsten Kukowski, RNC press secretary.


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Comments (15)


  • Add A Comment

  • calapete wrote...
    coming from a man who was set to end Hospice care for Medicare patients.
    January 24, 2013 9:46 am
    until threatened by negative press. Then he quickly flip flopped. Is this a guy we can believe?

    Republican Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan said it best "The public is not behind us, and that’s a real problem for our party."

    Cutting social services isn't going to help, Try cutting some of those entitlements Senators and the 1% enjoy, like Capitol gains tax and the FICA cap. Yep, I'm sure Ryan will present these options in his next budget! LOL

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    GOP must stop being 'stupid party' -
    January 24, 2013 5:01 pm
    this will never happen.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    They have always been
    January 24, 2013 6:06 pm
    The stupid party. If he wants to expand on this theory I will support him, as will a lot of "on the fence" voters. There are a lot of republicans that are, shall we say, disappointed with the way the republicans have "managed" their party in the last 12 years. Eight years of horror with bush and then Obama trying to untangle the mess during his first term. He might not be the ideal candidate but the election is four years away and there is not one republican that I would vote for, except the big guy from Joisy.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    If Jindal
    January 24, 2013 7:33 pm
    Can invigorate some young republicans to realize that their party is basically history, and in need of a total makeover then they have a chance in maybe 16 years. After 8 years of bush and the trouncing they took in 2012 there needs to be a lot of rebuilding and re-thinking of the whole republican agenda. It's non-existent at this point. There is no one republican in Govt. at this point that is not fearful of his or her job. Rightfully so, you guys have done a miserable job running this country, and continue to try and block any meaningful legislation that would improve the lives of Americans. Go away, we don't need you anymore.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Name change -
    January 24, 2013 8:23 pm
    G.O.P. to PARTY OF STUPID
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    How much of our tax dollars did your Dear Leader spend on
    March 17, 2013 10:41 am
    giving illegals a free ride into our nation and all of our stolen taxpayer dollars to pay for illegals to have ObamaCare?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsualumn wrote...
    HA HA
    March 17, 2013 6:26 pm
    You decided to start drinking at 10:41 this morning? You should fact check that one about illegals being eligible for Obamacare. If you can't figure out how to do fact check, let me know.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    Progressive liberals have made freeloading fashionable
    March 17, 2013 2:46 pm
    Getting them to drop a water pipe and pick up a shovel will be no easy task. If your a libtard like one of the above posters, Rubio is Spanish Kryptonite! It will be fun to watch you freak out in english while he mocks you in Spanish.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    10 million dollars
    March 17, 2013 6:25 pm
    To reach the minorities in this country. How will they do that? GIVE them money? The Hispanics and blacks and all the other so called minorities are already shy of the republicans as it is. There is nothing the republicans can do to fix the wrongs of the past. They are racist, homophobic neanderthals that will not learn by their mistakes. They keep making the same ones over and over again like having the biggest Bimbo of the decade speak at their little convention this weekend. She did more damage to the party than anyone and they keep bringing her back. Stupid is as stupid does.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William Lawn wrote...
    Things Republicans believe
    March 17, 2013 7:20 pm
    Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion. 

    Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony. 

    A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation. 

    Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton. 

    The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans' benefits and combat pay. 

    If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won't have sex. 

    Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy; providing health care to all Americans is socialism. 

    HMOs and insurance companies have the best interests of the public at heart. 

     Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools. 

    A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy. 

    Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution,  which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet. 

    The public has a right to know about Hillary's cattle trades, but George Bush's cocaine conviction is none of our business. 

    Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness, and you need our prayers for your recovery. 

    Old but bears repeating.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpygolkyone wrote...
    Hahahaha...........
    March 17, 2013 8:32 pm
    That made me laugh.......and cry all at the same time.

    Is that even possible?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsualumn wrote...
    LAWN
    March 17, 2013 8:55 pm
    Never have seen that one before. Thanks for posting!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    that's not what they see flounder Lawn
    March 18, 2013 5:08 am
    G.O.P. - PARTY OF STUPID !! and we love it ! !
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }