Time to Win Again
Fellow Patriot,
When I announced my candidacy for Chairman of the Harris County Republican Party back in December, I did so after much counsel and input from informed, active leaders throughout the county. I took that feedback and joined it with my experience during the 2016 election cycle as national Co-Chairman of the Young Republican National Federation (YRNF).
During that election cycle, there was plenty of anger and plenty of mixed feelings from all of the passionate grassroots activists. There were times when standing up for Texas and our United States Senator, Ted Cruz, took courage even when it was not popular with everyone. Supporting our Senator at the 2016 convention in Cleveland was the right thing to do and so was supporting Donald Trump and all Republicans in November. I am proud to have done both.
When the Republicans in Washington, led by Speaker Ryan and Ways & Means Chairman Kevin Brady, announced their national Better Way agenda, I discussed with others how we could push that bold agenda, especially to the millennials, because I wanted to keep our party from losing a generation of voters, those first time voters who could go forward and say they voted for the Republican ticket the first time they got to cast a ballot in a national election.
I led a national, 12-week messaging campaign for the final 12 weeks of the election in which every week, we pushed an aspect of the Better Way agenda from our member perspectives, and in some cases from the perspectives of people in the Young Republican age range. We talked about poverty and education, we addressed criminal justice reform, and we discussed an urban agenda that would matter to the lives of people who do not see us on a regular basis.
We were well received in most places, but particularly in Wisconsin where our members there were getting published on Wisconsin’s top conservative blog, and one inspired post even made its way to National Review Online. We got people talking, we got people active, and Senator Ron Johnson won a tough race rather easily, getting more votes than Donald Trump who also carried the state on his way to the White House.
This is but one aspect of leading a political party operation. But I think you would agree, it’s an important one. It is important to determine a message and then go about delivering that message in a timely manner. Leadership is tough, and decisions have to be made, and it is important to remember that you cannot hit a home run if you do not swing the bat.
After spending most of 2017 evaluating the election of 2016, I was encouraged to run for Chairman of the HCRP, and I decided to do so, as you can see now.
During the entire campaign, I have put forward the ideas that have been brought up the most in discussions as to how to remedy what ails the local party. 2015, 2016 and 2017 were epic disasters electorally for the Harris County Republican Party. Getting into races late because of a lack of vision led to some weak efforts that are not worthy of our party. It is no surprise that we got swept in every race and now we have no officeholders in those local offices from which to build a farm team of future Republican leadership. Every election is an opportunity, every election matters.
We all know the story of the District Attorney’s race here in Harris County. George Soros walked away with the ultimate prize in 2016. I have been noting recently that Soros is up to his old tricks in Texas yet again, this time over in Bexar County where to date he has invested close to $1 million to buy the District Attorney’s office in the Democrat primary election there. Soros has already shown that he can outmaneuver the operation here. And I think it is time for a change.
Getting the HCRP back in the win column after three years in the wilderness will require bold leadership and new thinking. The techniques of even just four years ago will not be enough to rely upon. As a candidate for the legislature in an uphill battle that year, I know how things have changed.
We must show people why our party matters to them and to their communities, and doing this will open doors we have never knocked on. I have called this “connecting with the community” and I have lived it. New communities embrace us when we show up, but that is becoming increasingly rare, and that changes on day one under my leadership. We must enhance our engagement process, and doing that means giving our precinct chairs the tools they need to succeed. We can offer these valuable precinct leaders more than one-size-fits-all tools because what works in Northeast Harris County may not work in Southwest Houston. We have got to have a Get Out The Vote (GOTV) plan that does what it is supposed to do: Get our voters to the polls and get us to victory.
Contact
Until the last vote is cast on Tuesday evening I am ready and available to answer questions and address your concerns. I invite you to post on my website or Facebook page or even Twitter.
I am ready to lead the Harris County Republican Party. I hope I have earned your trust and support.
I am taking this one last opportunity to ask for your vote in the March 6th Republican primary because it is
Time to Win Again
Chris Carmona
Candidate, Chairman of the HCRP