Yesterday got many of us wound up. Now it's time for the pitch.

I was having dinner with several elected officials last night, many of them State Senators. And apparently today at caucus I'm told that Hugh Weber of the Bokorney group will be making a pitch to the GOP Senators to handle some publicity or campaign functions for them - stuff that the State GOP should be doing.

Why does this sound familiar to me? If it's what I think it is, I did the exact same thing myself when the party practically abandoned the legislators to their own devices back in 1993.

Oddly enough, the party just had come off of a few losses that year as well. What did their hiring me do? Well, it was a wake up call to the State GOP to pay more attention to the legislators during session.

It remains to be seen whether the Bokorney proposal will have them working in concert with the party, or if their purpose is to supplant what the state GOP does during the session.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Senators would be Idiots!

Hugh Weber went 0-4

Lost Kelly, Arnold, Johnson. Diedrich.
Anonymous said…
He totally blew the Kelly race. Make a tactical blunder running that negative ad at the end.

The party needs to drive its own machine, not outsource to those with a proven trackrecord of defeat.
Anonymous said…
Hugh is a smart guy - maybe if the Republicans don't want him anymore, the Democrats could make use of him.
Anonymous said…
I cannot believe people would criticize Hugh Weber. He is everything you want in a campaign organizer and strategist. Give Hugh Weber a break. Hugh Weber was the one responsible for orchestrating Mayor Dave Munson's successful re-election campaign. Dick Kelly was a long shot to win his race, regardless of who was in charge. The Hugh Weber critics are from the Georgia Hanson and Joel Rosenthal school of bitterness and divisiveness. It is time to back off.

Republicans lose races because rather than working together on issues that they agree about, they choose to create civil war within their own party (based on a small number of issues they disagree about). We can only blame ourselves for losing close races when we have members of our own party who are working for the Democrats. I get so upset and embarrassed by our party's infighting.

On the other hand, Democrats are successful in SD because they know they cannot win without being united. I don't say this very often, but the GOP needs to take a lesson from the DemoCRATS.
Anonymous said…
10:16 may have hit on something. I recently heard that the chairman for Codington Co in Watertown didn't even have a yard sign out for Arnold in the senate race. Has had them for others in the past though.
Anonymous said…
Hugh is a good guy and works smart.

That said don't conflate (mix) the issue of outsourcing party business with Hugh and his record, albiet he did start with a bad record on the legislative side.

Hugh is just making a pitch to get the business that many of us think the party needs to work on more.

The real issue here is whether the GOP can do this type of operation in house or needs to go out.

I think the GOP can do it in house. This is another sign of poor leadership at the top and the grassroots and the market finding a way around it.
Anonymous said…
I think the Bockorny group is trying to fill a void currently being left by the State party, as well as providing some services that the party cannot or does not do.

And as for Hugh - he kept Kelly closer than I thought he would be. I just remember his role in getting Munson reelected - that is incredible
Anonymous said…
Anon 10:16
You are right on! Have you got time to be GOP Chair?
Anonymous said…
Anybody think that having a lobbyist providing this type of service to state reps while advancing their client's cause is a problem? So, are the republicans for sale that cheap? The Bokorny gang are lobbyists, nice campaign issue for the dems in '08.
Anonymous said…
2:42:

It's only a proposal...there is no agreement.

As stated earlier it probably best to have an in house operation as oppossed to outsourcing the work.

You bring up a good point though. There is a lack of a political aparatus in this state and the same people tend to be on multiple sides. Lobbyists, activists, staffers etc...
Anonymous said…
GOP Legislative Battle Plan

1. Push hard line on abortion, gay marriage and abstinecne only sex ed. These are simply issues we can't cave on and the voters want.

2. Try to find ways to favor private and religious schools over public schools. Public schools are overrated and parents that can afford it should get some kind of break to send their kids there.

3. Back ethanol big time and try to spin Rounds' early opposition against it. Ethanol is big and even though big oil is associated more with our national party, we have to act like we do support the stuff back here.
Anonymous said…
12:45 - Sounds like a leadership problem to me.

You make it sound like only a miracle could help that particular incumbent mayor.

Bockorny seems to be filling multiple voids; in his wallet, bank account, portfolio and ego.
Anonymous said…
1 - I am not aware that Bockorny does any lobbying at all in South Dakota - just in DC.

2 - You say the GOP only pushes abortion, gay marriage, and private/religious schools. Yet I don't recall the Governor ever pushing those issues.
Anonymous said…
7:49, get aware. Do you think that HW is in Pierre for his health?
Anonymous said…
Post 10:16 AM: "The Hugh Weber critics are from the Georgia Hanson and Joel Rosenthal school of bitterness and divisiveness."

LOL Now that is funny! I'm not saying it's true, I'm just saying it's funny! Thanks for the laugh!
Anonymous said…
9:11 - YOU "get aware." Tell me who Bockorny/Weber LOBBY for in Pierre.
Anonymous said…
I think it's the WCTU, since Kooistra is gone.
Anonymous said…
Wait for the lobbyist's registrations to be posted. Then you will be "aware".

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