The Party should be preparing now not just for the 2012 elections, but beyond. A party must do what candidates cannot do. That means building a sustainable political infrastructure that can last through multiple election cycles -- even through the lean times.

For long-term success, the Harris County Republican Party needs:

• Strong organization
• Solid conservative principles
• Solutions for finances and fundraising to support our programs
  

Strong organization
A strong political party is built from the grassroots up. We can empower grassroots activists with real tools while expanding the party’s base to rebuild our political infrastructure:

Precincts:

• Train and support precinct chairs with practical resources and technical support to organize and communicate with voters in their precincts
• Empower precinct chairs as leaders to maximize their impact: a top-down, central-command approach to organization is not effective use of our valuable volunteer resources
• Disperse training around Harris County
• Focus staff and volunteer resources on recruiting new precinct chairs to fill vacancies across county

Republican clubs and groups:

• Engage clubs and groups in a meaningful way as integral parts of Republican presence in Harris County
• Partner with clubs and groups to expand and broaden the party’s reach
• Devote real resources to planning and coordinating with clubs and groups
• Strategically plan with multiple stakeholders to increase effectiveness and interest

Communicate more effectively:

• Reorient internal communications to be more horizontal and less top-down pronouncements from headquarters
• Facilitate horizontal communications among party activists with modern technology and social networking
• Promote lateral communications to avoid bottlenecks and to encourage new ideas and problem-solving

Expand the Republican Party’s demographic & geographic base:

• Work with compatible groups to build trust and relationships with more voters
• Build alliances with compatible groups to solve local problems
• Actively participate in neighborhood and local activities across the county

Fight to Win:

• Enforce effective ballot security programs
• Maintain ongoing opposition research for rapid response
• Emphasize targeted voter registration programs
• Improve get-out-the-vote efforts
• Recruit and support candidates across the county
• Contrast the opposition's weaknesses with Republican strengths
• Leverage resources creatively
• Maintain infrastructure so candidates need not reinvent the wheel
  

Solid conservative principles

• Stand for traditional conservative Republican principles
• Emphasize our energetic and dynamic conservative vision: free enterprise empowers each person, so a "rising tide lifts all boats"
• Energize Republicans: emotion motivates action
• Be welcoming, informal, and accessible to the entire county
• Forcefully promote conservative principles with a positive message
• Advance optimistic conservative alternatives to the pessimistic leftist worldview
  

Solutions for finances and fundraising

• Demonstrate serious and credible plans, budgets, and ability to earn financial support
• Engage with the business community, large and small, to expand and enhance financial base
• Emphasize ongoing fundraising efforts
• Expand our donor base to tap broader base of funding at all levels

Let's keep Harris County Republican!