Is it really worth it to win the battle but lose the war? I fear that for both sides of the internecine battle going on right now that is likely becoming the case. The loser? The Republican Party. Now, I am sure that this post will bring with it many comments from both sides pointing the finger at the other. So be it. But at what point do we all go too far and risk Republican majorities in the Legislature, greatly hamper the ability of our candidates to win back the two Congressional seats we lost last year and irreparably damage the party for years to come?

I have good friends on both sides of this battle and I understand and think there is merit in both sides’ arguments against the other side. I, for one, am not taking a side in this battle. Too many on both sides have adopted a “you’re either with us or against us” stance that I think is proving incredibly detrimental to everyone.

You may not like who is Chairman of the State Party. You may not like the apparent heavy handedness of the so-called McCainites. You might think the State Party is too conservative. You might think the Chamber of Commerce is too soft on illegal immigration. But whether you like it or not, we need all sides to buy in to the idea that we all need to work together to win in 2008. Intramural battles are interesting and I would argue good for the party when we are all fat and happy with big majorities in the Legislature, a lock on the Congressional delegation, and control of statewide offices, but they are a luxury we cannot afford in our present position.

We need to face some uncomfortable facts here. We are four seats away from losing the majority in the State House, three seats in the Senate. We face significant uphill, though winnable, battles to get AZ-05 and AZ-08 back. We don’t have control of the Governor or the AG offices. If you gauge a party’s success on winning races, then we haven’t had a good run of things over the last five years. Yet we continue to fight viciously with each other.

Now, I know, each side is going to want to say it’s the other sides fault. And, as I said earlier in this post each side is going to want to point the finger at the other. I understand that this is natural reaction, but maybe right now, not the right one. Because if we do that, this fighting won’t stop.

If you don’t believe that this kind of fighting is devastating to a state party, look directly west to our neighbors in California. Republicans, with the exception of a once in a lifetime candidate in Schwarzenegger, control basically nothing in California. There are many arguments to be made as to why that is the case, but I think one valid reason is the infighting that took place within the California Republican Party during the nineties. Each side felt the other side was responsible for the problems they had and each side, not matter who was in control, was quick to lay blame on the other side. Each side took the attitude that if the other side wasn’t going to do what they wanted, they were going to take their toys and go home. The chaos that ensued only hurt Republicans.

Like many conflicts globally, I fear the war going on right now within the Party is being driven by hardliners on both sides who believe that winning this battle is so important that they are willing to sacrifice the institution that is the Arizona Republican Party to do it. If this continues, one side very well may win. But it will take years and leave us with a Party that is weak and nothing more than a shell of it’s former self. I, for one, don’t want to see that happen.

Now some on both sides will say that I am being alarmist, and for the sake of Republicans in Arizona, I dearly hope that I am. But are we really willing to fight this battle to find out?

Before it’s too late, I implore both sides to lay down their weapons and come to an unconditional cease fire if only for the sake of all of the good candidates in our Party who are putting their lives on hold and sacrificing so much to run as Republicans in our state. Because, if we don’t, I fear that 2008 will not be a good year for Republicans in Arizona.

I have always felt the boiler plate calls for uniting the Party were somewhat trite and had very little meaning behind them. They have been co-opted by both sides who really mean that they want the other side to put aside their very strongly held beliefs on political issues and agree with them. That’s not what I am calling for here.

What I am saying is that we need to unite as Republican officeholders, activists,, candidates, and political operatives, behind the greater good that is a strong and vibrant Republican Party in Arizona as an institution. Let’s unite behind the common ground of winning races for Republicans.

I recognize that this is easier said than done. It won’t be easy. There are a lot of hard feelings on both sides that will be tough to overcome. But, if only because there is so much at stake this election cycle, we need to do it.

It’s time for Republican leaders, whether they are members of the Congressional delegation, respected activists on both sides, or financial backers, to have the courage and wisdom to step up and help end this battle.

I hope this serves as a clarion call to all sides in this battle that it’s time to stop. Look within and ask yourselves to what end are we doing this. If we don’t, we will all be losers. One side may win this battle, but we will all lose the war.