Open Letter to Jared Woodfill

To Jared Woodfill: Either Disclose how you plan to win back the county through the 2009 and 2010 elections, or step aside to allow for new leadership

Since the recent election, we have heard from the current leadership of the Harris County Republican Party on at least four occasions. In each instance, these pronouncements have amounted to less than they appear.

First, publicity about the chariman’s reaction to a two-year old email incident was unmasked as a thinly-veiled attempt to force a quick vote of confidence in favor of Chairman Woodfill’s leadership in the aftermath of the election losses. This improper attempt to shore-up political support for the chairman at the expense of the reputation of Republican officeholders was handled appropriately by the precinct chairs when they tabled the resolution indefinitely.

Second, the chairman’s email of December 6th was an escape from reality. The email mischaracterized the outcome of the election; provided misleading figures about how much money the party had raised and what the party had done with that money; made promises about future action that do not address the real problems facing the party; and made financial commitments the party can not, at present, keep. Nowhere in that email did the chairman level with the party faithful as to the actual, dire financial and strategic condition of the local party.

Third, the chairman’s public pronouncements that the party was supporting the Huffman campaign for the run-off election were not completely accurate. In fact, campaign volunteers could not reach the party headquarters by phone or email during most of the campaign period, and when volunteers showed-up to man a phone bank, the office was either closed, or no one was present making calls.

Fourth, the chairman’s new Christmas video blog uses PowerPoint graphics to merely state the obvious. The recited details about the Democrats’ use of the Internet were well-publicized during the primaries and general election campaign, but our current leadership is just now recognizing the need for an updated Internet presence. In the meantime, the chairman says nothing about a plan for how the internet will actually be used to win elections, and nothing about how the party will pay for its new technology plan.

In this post-election period, Republicans have been demanding real leadership and a new strategic plan for winning elections. The real state of the Republican Party in Harris County and across the state is perilous. A recent PowerPoint presentation from the state party provides some startling figures. While Republicans achieved a net gain in offices won across the state, virtually all of the gain came in county and local races in rural counties. Meanwhile we lost ground where most Texans now live. Of the 254 counties in Texas, Republicans gained votes in 140 counties with 2,438,604 registered voters, while Democrats gained votes in 114 counties with 11,136,458 registered voters. The 50 fastest growing Republican counties in Texas have a total of 637,694 registered voters, while the 50 fastest growing Democratic counties have a total of 8,959,881 registered voters. You do the math—if this trend continues, we will not elect Republicans in Harris County and will soon lose our statewide offices.

To date, the actions of Chairman Woodfill fail to respond to Republican demands and electoral reality. Since late November, however, there has been a plan circulating within the local party. It is the plan published on this website, which has become known as “the Hubbard Plan.” At first, those of us promoting this plan had hoped that current leadership would react to it by engaging in a discussion about these ideas, and about how to implement a real plan for winning elections. Instead, we have gotten more of the same from Chairman Woodfill. We now challenge Chairman Woodfill to tell us in detail how the current leadership is going to help us win local elections in 2009, and county elections in 2010, and how it is going to fund its efforts.

While we wait to hear from the chairman, we ask that a discussion about the direction of the party be conducted over the next month, and that, at the next scheduled Executive Committee meeting resolutions be considered related to adoption of the Hubbard Plan. Moreover, if the current leadership does not come forward with its own comprehensive plan, or does not embrace the Hubbard Plan, we ask it to step aside and allow a new team to mobilize the party to be ready to contest the 2009 city and school board elections with conservative candidates and policies (which we discuss more fully in another blog we have posted today). If the chairman does nothing, then we will seek a resolution at the next Executive Committee meeting asking for his resignation.

In the meantime, to foster the discussion, we are posting on “Rebuild the Party.com” a discussion within the Harris County Group, which will begin to discuss an outline for proposed bylaw amendments that would be needed to implement changes discussed in the Hubbard Plan. We urge you to use the link to that site posted on our “Organize” page, to join this discussion group and weigh-in with your ideas. In the meantime, we ask all of you who believe you can help with the leadership of the party to step forward now, so that your fellow Republicans can consider you for leadership positions, including the chairmanship.

We can not wait until the primary of 2010 to make the needed changes in direction and leadership. The time to act is now.