The State of the Party and Post-Election Realities:

As a proud, partisan Republican, I am disappointed and frustrated with the current state of the Republican Party but am very optimistic about future opportunities to steer our party towards success.

After the 2008 election, Republicans in Minnesota face these sobering facts:

• Fewest members in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 1992
• Fewest members in the Minnesota Senate since 1994
• Fewest number of statewide elected officials in over 30 years

Rather than sitting on the sidelines, I have decided to roll up my sleeves and get to work helping our party win more elections.  In order to reverse this turn of events, we must fundamentally change the manner in which our party functions.  This is why I am running for Deputy Chair.

Reforms: Reduce Compensation and Increase Accountability:

Over the past few years and done with the best of intentions, compensation for State Party officers has risen to a historic high.  During that same time, we’ve seen the number of elected Republicans drop.  Simply put, we are winning fewer elections, but we are paying our party officers more and more.

By the time the June election arrives, the State Party will have spent over $100,000, $90,000 of which is salary, as well as other expenses, including meals, for part-time employment for the current Deputy Chair. To put this in context, the same amount of money over the course of the two-year term could have paid for numerous full time field staff, or provided much needed direct financial resources to local candidates across Minnesota.

I strongly believe we must dramatically reduce the compensation levels of the State Party officers. Therefore, if elected, I will not take a salary as Deputy Chair.

These savings could be reinvested into permanent field staff that would assist local BPOUs, coalition groups, and candidates.  In this past election, the State Party hired field staff for the last six months of the campaign.   In order for field staff to truly be effective, they must be hired much earlier.  They must be properly trained and have the opportunity to build relationships with the activists in their field regions.

At present, there are no clearly defined responsibilities for the Deputy Chair position.  This is not acceptable.  Historically, the Deputy Chair has served as the chair of the candidate search committees and has worked closely with BPOUs along with the House and Senate Caucuses.  However, in 2008, for the first time in recent history, the MN GOP did not have a candidate search committee!

Once elected, I will work with the State Central Committee and the State Executive Committee to clearly outline the role and responsibilities of the Deputy Chair position.

Technology Improvements/E-Campaign:

Over the last few years, Democrats have invested more time and resources into integrating technology into their political operations.  We need to catch-up - now!

In 2004, before many were familiar with blogs, I started Minnesota Democrats Exposed (MDE) to shine a light on Democrat missteps, which were being ignored by the mainstream media.  In her latest book, Guilty, Ann Coulter wrote about the start of MDE:

“In liberal’s imaginary world, lone blogger Michael Brodkorb is more powerful than the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and the entire liberal blogosphere.  As a hobby, Brodkorb started a blog called ‘Minnesota Democrats Exposed.’  In short order, he was uncovering stories the mainstream media somehow missed.”

MDE has been called “a must-read political blog” that Minnesota Democrats have come to despise!  The Washington Times wrote that MDE “has emerged as the most powerful political internet presence” in Minnesota.  I am proud that my blog’s readership continues to grow.  Last year, I was humbled to receive the 2008 Blogger of the Year Award from the Conservative Leadership Conference.

Technology also means list development and expanded voter identification programs. As a candidate for Deputy Chair, I’ve been very disappointed in the accuracy of the lists provided by the Party.  We can have the best candidates, but if we can’t connect our candidates with their voters, we will continue to lose elections.

We need to use all available technologies to connect Republican activists across Minnesota.  As Deputy Chair, I will bring much needed experience to jump-start the State Party’s e-Campaign operations and close the technology gap with the Democrats.

Ready for Redistricting:

In 2010, the process of redrawing the political boundaries of every legislative and congressional district will begin in Minnesota.  Democrats already have a coordinated message and strategy for the upcoming redistricting process.

At a recent event, after I spoke about the importance of getting organized about redistricting, my opponent for Deputy Chair said redistricting wasn’t something that our party needed to focus on right now.  With all due respect, I couldn’t disagree more.

A few weeks ago, Republicans in Washington D.C. raised concerns over the decision by President Obama to move the functions of the U.S. Census into the White House.  The move gives Obama’s highly partisan Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, the role of overseeing the process.

In 2006, four years before the start of the 2010 redistricting process, Emanuel gloated about how “partisan and political” the next battle would be:

“If you think redistricting is always partisan and political which it is…it’s going to be on steroids this time.”

The “this time” Emanuel referred to is coming up very soon and Republicans in Minnesota need to get ready with our best redistricting team!

Imagine Rahm Emanuel and ACORN being given the chance, with our tax dollars, to determine how our congressional district lines are drawn for the next decade!

I served as the redistricting analyst for the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus from 2000 - 2002.  In the last redistricting process, the Republican Party of Minnesota established a task force to keep the key players connected, ensuring Republicans were communicating with a consistent message.

As your next Deputy Chair, I will work cooperatively with activists and interest groups across Minnesota to ensure Minnesota’s political boundaries are drawn to reflect neutral population trends, not politically engineered districts designed by Democrats to keep us in the minority for at least the next ten years, if not for decades to come.

Let’s Start Winning Again

Back in ‘98, I was a field staffer for the Republican Party of Minnesota and that year Republicans won control of the Minnesota House of Representatives for the first time in over ten years. Republicans also won the Secretary of State’s office for the first time in over 24 years and we retain the State Auditor’s office.

In 2002, I was the research director for the Republican Party of Minnesota and that year Republicans won the Governor’s office, the State Auditor’s office, we retained the Secretary of State’s office and we dramatically expanded out majorities in the Minnesota House of Representatives and also came within a few seats of Republicans controlling the Minnesota Senate.  I was working at the Republican Party of Minnesota when we were winning elections and we can do it again.