A couple of interesting stories out of Colorado today ought to spark some discussion within the GOP about strategy and tactics going forward. An op-ed in the Rocky Mountain News, written by a former member of the Colorado senate, looks at the "meticulous plan" that Colorado Democrats followed in order to turn the state blue and take sizeable majorities in the state House, state Senate, and congressional delegation a mere eight years after Republicans dominated elected offices in the state. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that the GOP may try to recruit retired Denver Broncos star QB John Elway to run for the U.S. Senate if U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard doesn't run again in '08.
Now, I'm all for Elway running for the Senate as a Republican, and he has been active in Republican politics, but the fact that at this point in the 2008 pre-game show the national GOP would recruit him for the race even over a Republican congressman who is interested in the race tells you that the national GOP thinks millionaire celebrity candidates are a better route to victory than building bench strength at the grassroots level, and employing long-term strategies designed to build elected majorities at all levels of government.
Contrast that with the meticulous political strategy employed by Democrats to gain the upper hand in Colorado.
As the Rocky Mountain News notes, the GOP leads in voter registration in Colorado by some 170,000 voters. Recruiting John Elway to run for the Senate in '08 is like throwing a desperation Hail Mary pass in the middle of the third quarter, leading by a field goal. What the Colorado and national Republican parties need is a good running game that methodically grinds out first downs.
That said, I'd still love to see Elway as the GOP's Senate nominee in 2008 - just so long as he leads a ticket that, from top to bottom, represents a Republican Party working on a long-term strategy designed to win many races, not just the big game.
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