FROM OUR PRINTED MARCH 2023 EDITION:
by Kathleen Lynch
Massachusetts Republican
State Committewoman
First Middlesex District
A New Year survey, advertised in the Boston Broadside, was conducted to assess the 2022 gubernatorial election and determine what Republicans need to do, moving forward, to improve their chances of winning elections in 2023.
While the left works to destroy what makes America great, the Republican Party stands in the gap to defend our nation and way of life.
In this past gubernatorial election, Massachusetts Republican activists worked diligently across the state to do everything possible to win races. But we were thwarted by the Democrats, RINOs (Democrats pretending to be Republicans), and a very poor electoral system that makes it easier for dishonest persons to cheat!
The three survey questions were: 1) What did Republicans do well in 2022?, 2) What did Republicans NOT do well in 2022?, and 3) What do you recommend Republicans do to improve in 2023?
Here is a summary of the survey results:
1) What did Republicans
do well in 2022?
While the survey respondents were clearly disappointed with the results of the election, there was positive feedback to be gleaned.
Respondents recognized that there were many challenged seats with enthusiastic candidates this cycle – more candidates than in 2018.
They recognized the hard work that candidates and volunteers did. They were happy that the candidates spoke about issues that mattered to them like the downward trend of the economy, insecure borders, crime, illegal alien driver’s licenses, election fraud, mask and vaccine mandates, dismissal of parental rights, and other Democrat-caused issues.
2) What did Republicans NOT do well in 2022?
The biggest complaint from survey respondents was that they didn’t trust the electoral system. All the hard work is a waste of time, money, and energy if Democrats can easily cheat with machines, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and/or early voting with pre-election tabulation.
Other concerns were that Republicans needed to reach voters with a clear, strong, and unified message, especially for youth and non-Republican voters. Candidates needed better coverage in the media and more money to cover expenses.
Respondents also mentioned RINO State Committee members, tasked with building the party apparatus, but doing little to build Republican Town and City Committees or help candidates in their districts. Worse, some actually thwarted efforts to do such – not to mention their boycotting of State Committee meetings so that no official business could be conducted.
Respondents complained about Governor Baker, as a Republican governor, making no positive difference in terms of winning Republican seats.
3) What do you recommend Republicans do to improve in 2023?
The responses generally fell into one of four categories.
- a) Mass. Republican Party
Feedback from respondents indicated that the Mass. Republican Party should continue to work on building local town/city/ward committees with local and state committee members leading the effort. Respondents expressed a desire for party leadership from the top down to visit town/city/ward committees more frequently. They also wanted a better communication network with town/city/ward committees and local news outlets. Finally, more outreach to young (HS and college) and minority members was recommended.
- b) Messaging
Respondents recognized that divisions within the party have thwarted efforts to present a unified message to the populace. Clear and concise messaging was urged. A need to fight back when Democrats call Republicans names was stressed, as well as backing fellow Republicans who stand up to liberal nonsense. More oppositional research was recommended. More education was recommended for unenrolled and open-minded Democrat voters to inform them about destructive policies of the Democrat Party that might ultimately move them toward the Republican Party and its candidates. Creating new Republican media platforms and sending out more press releases that include Republican values while using Democrat talking points against them was recommended.
- c) Elections
Respondents’ trust in the Mass. electoral system was shaky – calling for an investigation of voter fraud. While not happy with the new mail voting, unattended drop boxes, automatic voter registration, and early voting, respondents believed it is now time to master the electoral system, harvest ballots using legal methods and delivery (MGL Ch 54 Sec 91B & 92) and recruit more Republicans as registrars, election officers and observers at the polls.
- d) Candidates
Respondents believed that recruiting and electing more candidates at the local level should be a priority. Because of early voting, candidates need to get out earlier with their campaign messaging – meeting the voters, raising money, writing press releases, and speaking at town halls. It was recommended that the Republican Party have some sort of vetting system for candidates before they run, such as making sure candidates truly stand for Republican, constitutional principles and communicate those principles well.
Republicans are up against a lot in Massachusetts, but who else will stand in the gap to defend our nation and way of life? ♦
Kathy Lynch is Republican State Committeewoman for the First Middlesex District and Chairwoman of the Elections Review Committee.
You may reach Kathy at: http://www.votekathylynch.com/contact.html.
