Running a campaign from the top down

Running a campaign from the top down
Al Ritter

I have written about politics for quite a while now, but had never really been involved from the inside until this election cycle. It is no secret that Maryland is a notoriously Democratic. The entire government basis (federal and state) is dominated by Democrats. The only major seat to have been occupied by a Republican is that of the Governorship.

I am finding that this seat is only one of ceremony, and holds only one benefit to the state I love so much, and that is the ability to veto a bill of entitlement that the legislature deems necessary.

I have also learned that the State of Maryland’s Republican base is unfortunately very weak, not only in leadership, but is also weak it the ability to raise money to challenge the Democratic domination.

In this next election cycle the main thrust of the Republican Party seems content to elect a governor, but they can’t seem to spend the time or the money to help elect what they really need most. The Republicans need more of a balance in the house and senate, and yet not much of an effort has been expended in that direction at all.

To build a house, a contractor needs a good foundation to support the rest of the structure. That contractor would never start with a roof, and then pretend there is structure under it. The Republicans will never truly succeed in this state by relying on individual dynamic personalities, they need to play as a team, they need to learn how to share resources, and need to band with one another.

After seeing this party from the inside for the first time, I am not encouraged, I hope the message at the Ocean City Republican Convention will be more uplifting in nature than this article, but until basic changes are made, I don’t see a serious challenge to the one party system Maryland has suffered the last few decades.