Like a lot of election days, a mixed bag indeed (Part 2)

Interpreting election results involves guesswork, of course, because you’re trying to read the minds of a lot of very different voters. At the end of the day, however, the basics come back into play.

If conservatives are going to elect enough good people to actually roll back the government behemoth, we’re going to have to do a lot better at local, regional, statewide, and national politics. As I’ve argued, “All politics is marketing.” Americans are busy people and it takes a lot of work, resources and creativity to impact enough of our fellow citizens to actually convince them that our policies are the best.

In my own precinct the results hinted that I may have swayed some voters in races where the candidates were less well known. But I’m sorry to say that Kirk and Topinka took my precinct – showing that I must improve in the post of Republican Precinct Committeeman.

Voters that I contacted almost completely ignored one of my recommended judge candidates, but worst of all, Hastert defeated Hultgren by one vote. As an example of the mixed bag, the candidate I personally endorsed for Governor and Lt. Governor won handily.

I’ve written at length about the Republican Party and what it can and should be. I’ve outlined how I believe public opinion is job one but most of our elected officials still don’t realize that. And I’ve begun to give examples of citizens who have stepped up in order to help get the political work done in a more effective manner.

When we build a structure that recruits more high quality people into the process to work as activists and run as candidates, we’ll see a better result on election day.

It is nine months until the general election. A lot can be accomplished between now and then – as we know from how human life goes from conception to birth in that same amount of time. More folks have to step up and help professionalize the process. There’s no reinvention of the wheel taking place here – but there is a need for innovation and new talent.

Some very good candidates won and lost on Tuesday, and at least two completely unacceptable “Republicans” are now on the ballot statewide. Sometimes electing the wrong Republican candidates causes the GOP to lose ground. We’ll be making that case in greater detail in the coming months. “Unity” is a word that the weasels use to force incompetent, corrupt, or wrong-thinking candidates upon us. You can’t unite with people going in the wrong direction.

Later today I’m flying to Nashville to participate in the National Tea Party Convention. The rise of the TEA party and 9/12 movement is easily the best domestic political development of my lifetime. I’ll file at least a couple of dispatches from there during what promises to be a very interesting three days.