This week, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus announced the formation of a task force led by five chairmen with the goal of examining what went wrong for Republicans in 2012 and what can be done to put it right.
There’s certainly a lot to fix, starting with some of the demographic problems on display November 6. Much has been made of the party’s failures among Hispanics and female voters. President Obama won those two groups by 44 points and 11 points, respectively. The party could also reach out to young voters, who voted overwhelmingly for the president 60% to 37%.
Less well known is the fact that gay and bisexual voters made up five percent of the electorate, according to exit polls, and that they broke for President Obama 76%-22%. The issue of same-sex marriage will certainly be in the spotlight next summer when the Supreme Court is expected to rule on two gay marriage cases.
The so-called “Growth and Opportunity” project will include former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer as well as Henry Barbour, a Mississippi committee member and nephew to former RNC Chair and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour. Also involved: longtime adviser to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Sally Bradshaw, Glenn McCall, a national committeeman from South Carolina and Puerto Rico committeewoman Zori Fonalledas. The five members will target eight specific areas for improvement including messaging, finance, campaign mechanics and ground game and relations with third parties. Policy prescriptions were not on the list.
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