Renewal Letter 2008
Dear CRL Member:
It’s that time of year again. Over the past year the CRL has helped elect many moderate Republicans across the state. We also have been involved in trying to change the membership of the California Republican Party. Our former executive director, Keith Proctor, spent much of the fall of 2007 and the spring of 2008 recruiting hundreds of candidates from up and down the state to run for county central committees.
I have heard from many moderates that trying to change or influence the CRP is a waste of time. They seem to believe that the CRP’s extremism has made the party irrelevant. I think this is a dangerous assumption. The CRP is not irrelevant or benign and it continues to be a negative influence on California politics. This year the CRP was a major supporter of Proposition 4, as they had supported 85 and 73. Three times in a row our state party has spent our resources on these fruitless campaigns when candidates up and down the state needed money.
However, believe it or not, things are beginning to change. Some of the social conservatives are seeing the light. There is a huge groundswell of former staunch pro-life conservatives backing pro-choice Steve Poizner for Governor. From Jim Brulte to John McGraw, former pro-life stalwarts have gotten the message that pro-life candidates can’t win statewide, and they realize that Steve Poizner is our best chance for retaining the Governor’s office. However, now that things are changing it is critical that we take advantage of this opening and press our position; only moderate Republicans can win statewide or in competitive districts.
The state party is neither irrelevant nor benign, and there is hope for change. Therefore, we need to stay engaged and stop the CRP from being a spawning ground for propositions and instead focus its vast resources on supporting electable Republicans. We at the CRL have stayed engaged, but our continued involvement and efforts are not cheap. We need your financial support more than ever. To help us continue our efforts in electing moderate Republicans, and in moderating the CRP, please renew your member ship for 2008 (that way you will also continue to get the Progressive Republican). If you have already renewed your membership, then you should think about giving more. Believe me, we can use every penny.
Sincerely yours,
Mark Herrick
State President
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