No Lisa, make up is for actors reading someone elses lines or for public relations spin masters. The party needs no make-over. Poor choice of words Lisa.

Its not about Branding – its about the core product. As long as we chase “make overs” and “re-branding” without seriously considering what a Republican is – we can never communicate that vision to the voters and consequently we’ll continue to loose in the national elections. (That are inhabited by white elephants from another era). Think about it.

This is what the next leader of the AzGOP should be thinking about – strategic product development – not “make overs”

Magic Question for Everyone here:
Just because someone decides to run as a ‘Republican’ does that mean that the state party must automatically support them?

Are there guidelines for being a ‘Republican’ office holder? Or is that designation fluid and circumstantial depending on public opinion polls?

And while I’m thinking about it, whatever happened to Dan Quayle’s fundraising visit?

Re: Post # 15

I believe that..Given the CDs involved.

But at some point, continuing to ignore voter registration the way Pullen has done is just going to kill us, and this will be a blue state in four years if we dont change something.

Im all in favor of Randy running for some kind of political office. Let him talk about his ideas and views in that forum. But he just isnt the right fit for Chairman of a political party.

All those candidates are solid conservatives like the kind you (and I) want to be in power. To answer your question, if we had a Chairman that could raise at least half as much as Salmon, not been asleep at the switch on voter registration and early ballot, and not been such a wincing embarassment (showing the middle finger on national television, the infamous masturbator ad, etc), I think they would have done better.

As for attacking other Republicans, McCain and Flake are among the worst offenders. Their attacks on Goldwater in 2006 were savage, false, and disgraceful. Ditto for the attacks on Russell Pearce in 2008. McCain’s people were also not too nice to Republican PCs in LD11 when they decided to go after Rob Haney and specifically targeted Tom Husband.

Shadegg was not much better with his endorsement of Tony Bouie in LD6 and the attacks on Republicans who support strict enforcement of laws against illegal aliens (quoted in the New York Times). Also, Bouie and his fellow travellers ran a particularly nasty campaign against Carl Seel in the LD6 House race.

When it comes to attacking other Republicans, Randy Pullen and his supporters are pikers compared to the Congressional delegation and their cronies.

Certainly everyone who tries to accomplish things makes some mistakes, but if overall decency and civility as well as commitment to Republican values are the right qualities for leadership, then Randy Pullen is the right person for the state party chairmanship.

Lisa James has demonstrated no commitment to helping the state party unless it helps her consulting business. I don’t fault her for lack of involvement in the state party over the last two years, but her performance as an LD8 officer seems to have been, at best, lackluster. Also, some of the people backing her are responsible for some of the most viscious, vile attacks on fellow Republicans.

The root issue, though, is whether the Republican Party stands for certain principles or is just an adjunct of Republican incumbents’ campaign committees. Pullen is for principles, and James is an adjunct campaign committee chairman.

Seriously, I’m one of those who thinks that Kyl is better than Pederson, that Bush is better than Kerry, and that McCain is better than Obama.

In a couple weeks hopefully we’ll have a chairman that feels the same.

And your claim that Pullen “spends more time attacking Republicans… than actually contrasting out Party with Democrats” is absolutely retarded. Outside of the skirmish over amnesty 18 months ago, Pullen has been nothing but positive about our Republican candidates and he has blasted away at the Democrats, just like a Party Chairman is expected to.

And just so we’re clear, Pullen was right on the amnesty fight, McCain and Kyl were wrong, and both McCain and Kyl now say they “see the light” when it comes to border enforcement. McCain still supports amnesty and Kyl is backing off of it, but Pullen was right all along. That means of the three, it was Pullen who was defending our party and our principles.

You are one of those who believe that Pullen should be a cheerleader for amnesty if McCain supports it, a cheerleader for tax increases if Bush supports it, a cheerleader for legalizing drugs and prostitution if Flake supports it, etc. Whatever our delegation wants is good enough for you and you’re ready to march lockstep with them over the edge of the cliff if need be.

Thank God we have a Chairman who is loyal to our Party and our principles without your slavish devotion to those who temporarily wear the crowns and carry the titles.

The party still believes in Reagan principles. Just as it did under Matt Salmon and Bob Fannin.

What has changed is that we have a party chairman now that spends more time attacking Republicans and putting himself in the spotlight than actually contrasting our Party with Democrats. Reagan also believed in the 11th commandment, and uniting the party, not dividing it for his own ego.