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November 3, 2010
Click Image for Full Election Results
Last night, while the GOP took giant strides across the country, it was routed in Maryland. Despite historic gains across America, Maryland Republicans suffered numerous key defeats and managed to lose ground in the state legislature. These defeats, while discouraging, will allow Maryland Republicans to learn from their fundamental errors and will encourage and allow the party to replace failed leaders and commit itself to conservative principles.
The Maryland GOP Establishment and the Ehrlich Campaign made a concentrated effort to avoid national trends and remain moderate. This was a strategy touted by elites as “the only one that could win” in such a dark blue state. Hand-picked moderates from the top of the ticket down, however, were defeated by shockingly wide margins, and the tireless effort to tie Ehrlich’s name to every campaign in the state, led to his struggling campaign dragging every other Republican down with it. In hindsight, this strategy caused Maryland to “miss the wave” and become only state on the Eastern Seaboard that did not see Republican gains in 2010.
One of the first lessons one learns in business is that a product must have a competitive advantage, something it does differently and better than its competitors, in order to sell. With this in mind, the MDGOP establishment clearly does not have experience in sales. The candidates they supported pre-primary were mostly left-leaning moderates who were not able to offer meaningful contrast with current office holders. Ehrlich, the obvious example, shared the left’s views on all social and most fiscal issues. He could not offer a competitive advantage, and was crushed by an entrenched incumbent. Last night’s lesson is clear: The MDGOP must move to the right, not to the left in order to sell itself to independent voters.
The MDGOP’s only success further reinforces this argument. Andy Harris’ decisive victory was one of a true conservative running against a moderate, Frank Kratovil. In that race, Harris, owned and exploited his competitive advantage by consistently drawing strong contrast with Kratovil and Pelosi. Harris’ strategy, which was the opposite of Ehrlich’s, put the political winds at his back, turning a race which he lost in 2008 into a 13% victory.
I am not claiming Ehrlich would have definitely won had he been conservative or Brian Murphy definitely would have defeated O’Malley. I will claim, however, that had the MDGOP had a conservative at the top of the ticket and ran on a conservative message they would have laid a foundation for the future, taken a step forward and avoided a crushing defeat. Ehrlich was the only incumbent Republican governor to lose in 2006 and the MDGOP will go down in history as the only group of republicans to get routed in 2010. It does not matter how blue the state is, this is unacceptable.
The beating the MDGOP suffered was terrible, but the fix may be relatively simple. The party must move to the right to regain its identity and its competitive advantage. In order to do this, the party must completely change leadership and install committed conservatives. We, therefore, must urge our representatives on the County and State Central Committees to install conservative leaders in all aspects of the party and hold them accountable. We must take a more active role in taking back the party. We must move on from the past, commit to conservative values and rebuild our house upon the rock.
Sam Hale
November 4th, 2010 at 12:38 am
I see your point Sam and agree. The repubs had their chance to back Murphy, a true conservative and chose instead to throw him under the bus. Alas, Murphy threw his support to Erhlich, which should have been enough to sway Md’landers but OweM (stops to growl) had his party’s full support,no ifs and or buts, not to mention all the illegals allowed to vote in Md (growls again big time dammit) unconstitutionally! (this has got to stop!) …”the fight” is on! Let’s go!
November 4th, 2010 at 12:40 am
Great post Sam, and you are exactly correct. Setting ourselves apart with conservative values is the only way to take back the State. I was glad to see Harris defeat Kratovil, but that was trumped emotionally by all the defeats we took.
I was a huge supporter of Brian Murphy because of his strong traditional values and that he had no baggage for Owe’Mally to attack. A lot of friends of mine fought me on this issue and the Primary sealed his fate for now.
The term Grassroots means something special to everyone who understands it. The problem is that we were too focused on Ehrlichs’ past political experience that many thought he would be a shoe in, but in reality that same thing that made him a shoe in caused his defeat.
Yes we learned a lesson and it was a hard lesson that is going to make us endure another four painful years of slow growth, high taxes, and an attitude of entitlement from the leaders who are supposed to do for the people and not too the people.
I almost feel trapped in MD, and I thought about moving out of state. But I don’t plan to run, I don’t plan to hide, I don’t plan to keep quiet. Maryland is home! Nobody is going to force me from where I live. They say when you are backed into a corner all you can do is fight! So that’s my plan. It is my goal to take these next four years and educate people on the importance of liberty and freedom.
I would like to find out if Murphy is planning to run again and if he is, do you think it would be a good idea to immediately start grooming his campaign and get more people to know him?
November 4th, 2010 at 12:43 am
We must build MSOP increasing its numbers, bringing together conservatives from around the state most of which have given up on the election process in our state.
I think we need to start from the bottom getting conservatives elected in town and county councils and work our way up to the governors mansion from there.
Murphy/Lollar 2014. : ]
November 4th, 2010 at 1:12 am
Sam:
You couldn’t have stated it more eloquently. I did not vote for Ehrlich as my wife and I performed a write-in for Brian Murphy.
Ehrlich is not the republican to be pointing the finger at O’Malley. Ehrlich’s record is repleat with tax increases, new fees, property tax hikes.
And what you saw last night was a result of Ehrlich’s hypocritical stanches. He got blown away . . . literally.
Brian Murphy was the one who – in the end – would have done a better job to out manuever O’Malley. It is a shame and a blemish to the Republican party.
FYI – I personally informed Andy Harris to distance himself from Ehrlich as this is what cost him in the election the first time he ran against Kratovil. You’ll notice that he took my advice.
November 4th, 2010 at 2:11 am
Amen! Let me know how I can help in your efforts to influence leadership change.
November 8th, 2010 at 11:32 pm
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November 9th, 2010 at 2:57 am
AMEN!, my friend!
We made HUGE gains in Frederick County specifically by candidates who ran on a Liberty ticket in the Republican Party!
Hopefully this can spur a real change in the Maryland Republican Party and the Society of Patriots is just the organization to cause such a change!
Thank you for your service!
Farrell
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