What do the Republicans have to do to win in 2016?

[nextJin]

We have several prospects:

- Paul Ryan
- Chris Christie
- Marco Rubio
- Rand Paul
- Bob McDonnell
- Bobby Jindal
- Condi Rice
- Rick Santorum
- Mike Pence
- Others

Their opponents are likely going to be Clinton and Biden, there are a few other good choices but those two have a huge lead in several areas atm. Clinton stepping down gives her an opportunity to start planning now and focus on the race.

Given the bad taste left in our nation’s mouth over the Republican primaries and the significant opponents the party will be facing in the race what will they have to change to win over a majority of the country and get people out to vote?

Paul Ryan is a leading pick from some inner circles; he has the experience running at the national level and strong support from the party. He is budget minded and has tried several times to bring a discussion to the table on budget reforms.

Chris Christie did a very good job handling a natural disaster and challenged the GOP when they denied his constituents funds to help with the relief effort. Many actually blame him for the Romney loss however which could be a negative in the primaries.

Marco Rubio in my opinion will be a front runner as the Media sets him up for the nomination. He was a leading VP pick this past election and has been critical at times of the current GOP. Especially after the post-election blame game.

Rand Paul will have a huge grass roots advantage and he does not have his fathers "senile old man" look. He was extremely critical of Clinton during the Benghazi hearings however he said she should have read all wires relayed back to DC which is in the thousands and almost impossible. It was a pure political move to set him up for a 2016 run.

Rick Santorum if history is any indication would have him as the eventual pick to head the helm. He placed 2nd in the primaries and is seen as a steadfast Conservative in the modern party.

I am not overly fond of the other prospects but I honestly do not see any of these guys bringing about change to the actual message other than Christie and Paul. Both of which are going to have a very difficult time securing a nomination given their past history or relatives.

I very seriously doubt Condi even runs because of the Bush debacle. I would like to see Mike Pence make waves and challenge the party.

The Republicans have to change several things to win imo; Make amends with minorities, abandon the interventionist foreign policy, focus on common sense tax/spending reforms (I'm looking at you Rand), work with Democrats and the President in the meantime to pass effective legislation, abandon the old dogs and implement new leadership and plan for the future.

It all starts right now, even if another Reagan comes along the party cannot possibly win without an overwhelming change in the party focus soon.

 

[boomerang]

If I had to predict I would say that at the end of the second term of Obama the country will be in such a mess that a Democrat couldn't win the Presidency to save his or her life. If control of the House changes it will be a certainty. But read on...

I would like to see the Republican party dead and buried. It needs to go away. I say this because right now we have two parties that think the same, just in varying degrees. It's time for a new, truly conservative party that can offer a counter to the insanity that is being offered up today. The corruption that permeates D.C. also needs to be eliminated or reduced to manageable levels.

Unfortunately, it's too soon for that new party. The tipping point has been reached. There are more takers than makers and the takers aren't going to vote out their meal ticket. We are destined for a downward spiral the bottom of which will be extremely unpleasant. We seem incapable of learning from the mistakes of others. After we've hit rock bottom, new leaders will emerge. They will be of the law and order type (to put it mildly) and the people will be begging them to take control. The eventual collapse of that regime will be the time for a party that embraces true conservative values to take the reins.

Decade away? Two decades? Longer? Hard to predict. History tells us how this will play out. It's in motion and can't be reversed.

 

[LTC8K6]

It's way too late. There are too many takers. Too many dependent on gov't. Any Republican successes will be RINOs. Nothing much will change until the whole thing comes crashing down.

 

[Genx87]

Stop talking about rape and abortion for starters.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Hammer away at Cuomo and his ilk and not pick idiots. Abandon the use of government to force their social agenda and swat the dems for their crap. That will take a lot of reform as the trend has been to use power to inflict partisan will.

 

[IronWing]

They just need to bide their time. The American electorate has a very short memory. They quickly forget the utter disgrace that Republicans have visited on the White House with each Republican administration. Wave a few flags, sing a hymn or two, throw a lot of mud, tell a pack of lies, and they're in.

 

[Ausm]

Stop the War on the following: women,the sick,the elderly, the poor, people of color and knock of the rampant obstructionism. I don't think anyone in Vegas would be betting that this will occur.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

They need to very publicly distance themselves from the fringe elements. It's not like they'd vote democrat if that happened. While it shouldn't be relevant in 2016 (unless they nominate Rubio) not publicly swatting down the birthers and their ilk pushed a lot of people away. They did in some instances but it should have been a party wide stance.

Birthers being but one example but a very big one.

 

[klinc]

Lie better than the opposition

 

[irishScott]

They just need to bide their time. The American electorate has a very short memory. They quickly forget the utter disgrace that Republicans have visited on the White House with each Republican administration. Wave a few flags, sing a hymn or two, throw a lot of mud, tell a pack of lies, and they're in.

That strategy aptly describes many democrats as well. Just saying.

 

[fskimospy]

They will need to find a way to address long term demographic shifts and become something other than the white male party.

I'm not sure if they will come to their senses in time for 2016, it might take another loss to really send the point home. As evidenced in this thread they are trying to convince themselves that their losses are now due to a huge class of moochers. That doesn't currently bode well for the needed realignment.

 

[FerrelGeek]

The media will pick the rep nominee, just like they did in the last two elections. They will pick a candidate that they can then turn around and easily destroy, or one that they know will self destruct.

 

[Ryan]

The media will pick the rep nominee, just like they did in the last two elections. They will pick a candidate that they can then turn around and easily destroy, or one that they know will self destruct.

The media picked Romney?!?!? Give me a break. If the Republican Tin-Foil Conspiracy about the "Liberal Media" really picked candidates, John Huntsman would have been their choice - they went absolutely ga-ga over the man.........

 

[fskimospy]

The media will pick the rep nominee, just like they did in the last two elections. They will pick a candidate that they can then turn around and easily destroy, or one that they know will self destruct.

So now the 'librul media' is picking Republican candidates too? The candidates that are chosen by the Republican party base that hates that same media, which it ignores for fox news instead?

Who knew the evil libruls wielded such extraordinary power!

 

[dank69]

Would Ron Paul have done better if he didn't have a "senile old man look"? :hmm:

Also, Santorum did not place second in the primaries. He dropped out which is the same thing as never running in the first place. Everyone knows this.

 

[dank69]

So now the 'librul media' is picking Republican candidates too? The candidates that are chosen by the Republican party base that hates that same media, which it ignores for fox news instead?

Who knew the evil libruls wielded such extraordinary power!

Fox News is just another form of the liberal media masquerading as conservative media.

 

[Ryan]

Fox News is just another form of the liberal media masquerading as conservative media.

ROTFLMAO. Now I have heard it all.

 

[nextJin]

Would Ron Paul have done better if he didn't have a "senile old man look"? :hmm:

Also, Santorum did not place second in the primaries. He dropped out which is the same thing as never running in the first place. Everyone knows this.

Paul had a lot of issues, the crazy uncle/senile old man look didn't help

Santorum placed second arguing otherwise is semantics, everyone knows this.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/primary-tracker/

 

[nextJin]

I do not even know why everyone is spouting "liberal media" if you combine all the liberal news outlets and compare them to conservative ones the viewership is about level.

 

[Texashiker]

This.

It's way too late. There are too many takers. Too many dependent on gov't.

There are too many special interest groups who vote their interest, rather then voting for the best interest of the nation.

If we had a candidate that said he was going to end free trade and put people back to work, the career welfare group would be scared to death. There is no way people drawing welfare are going to vote to end those benefits.

The same thing goes for illegal immigration, gays,,,, and all other special interest groups who have formed voting blocs.

The republicans stance on protecting the rich from higher taxes have alienated the middle class.

The republicans stance on immigration, abortion and gay rights have alienated the party from those voting blocs.

The republican party has become the party of old rich white men. Its just a matter of time before they die and are replaced.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

As much as I would like to see the current republican party die and reform, you know what I would rather see a million times over that?

Get rid of bi-partisan and branch off a couple parties. Then maybe *gasp* people may have multiple decisions from multiple parties. And maybe you might see other parties reasoning with others. And then voters might have to actually read/listen to members of the party.

 

[Texashiker]

Get rid of bi-partisan and branch off a couple parties. Then maybe *gasp* people may have multiple decisions from multiple parties. And maybe you might see other parties reasoning with others. And then voters might have to actually read/listen to members of the party.

When was the last time you voted for a party besides the major two?

 

[soulcougher73]

To win they have to drop religion and social policies. The fiscal conservative stuff is fine. Another thing they could try as well if they win is actually applying these fiscal conservative policies and not just talk about it

 

[nehalem256]

Offer women free birth control AND free chocolate?

 

[Texashiker]

Another thing they could try as well if they win is actually applying these fiscal conservative policies and not just talk about it

Please define "fiscal conservative policies"