Debate

Bad candidates or not enough money? RNC officials debate why they lost in 2022

POLITICS
DANA POINT, Calif. — The Republican Party is set to release an debate early spring review of why key candidates floundered in last fall’s midterm elections.
 
But while members of the Republican National. Committee agreed on the need to finish the investigation. before the presidential primaries go full steam ahead. Disagreements remain over a key part of the review — a focus on the “quality of the candidate.” Which is seen as a catchphrase from former President Donald Trump. For failed endorsements in swing state races.
 
The split emerged during a panel meeting at this week’s RNC convention. With Arizona committeeman Tyler Bauer arguing behind closed doors to Mississippi committeeman. Henry Barber that the problem in 2022 was not the quality of the candidates. But the lack of resources proposed for the high-profile series. -Profile nominees who lost last fall. Both men, who are part of the RNC team tasked with reviewing the midterms. Confirmed the discussions to todaystrend News.
 
“We had a bit of a debate between me and Henry Barber. About the quality of the candidate versus the support of the candidate.” Said Bauer, who is also the chief operating officer. Of Turning Point Action, a conservative group. “And I take the position that we can never tell Donald Trump what to do. President Trump can support whoever he wants to support.
Bad candidates or not enough money? RNC officials debate why they lost in 2022

“It is not our power to influence,” he continued.

“The only things we can influence are the things we control. And what we control here at the RNC is the money that comes in and the money that goes out. And that’s the main power.”
 Barber — who was tapped by Rona McDaniel, the elected RNC chairwoman. To co-chair the review along with California committeeman Harmeet Dhillon. Kansas committeeman Kim Borchers and Delaware GOP chair Jane Brady. —Said she and Boyer “discussed” the line with them. .”Earlier this month, Barber said in an interview with todaystrend News.

That the committee will examine the role Trump.

Played in the party’s 2022 midterm results as part of the audit. Which he said will also probe a myriad of other factors, such as polling. and ticket-splitting.

“What we want to do is get into the weeds, have the data to confirm. Or give weight to the assessment that we make,” he said at the time. “It has to be a sincere effort. We can’t gloss over things.

Or it’s not right to do it.”

Their debate echoes a wider rift within the party in which entrenched. Radicals are blamed for the overwhelming midterm results favoring Republicans. In the end, the GOP won a few statewide swing-state races and entered 2023 with only a slim House majority.

Many in the party cited candidate quality as the main reason for underperformance. Others have pointed to parties and outside campaign groups that include. Arizona gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake. And Pennsylvania gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano — hardliners who have been associated. With Trump’s false electoral claims.

Trump himself blamed the mid-party error on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. As well as hardline debate  anti-abortion rights activists. Who called for exceptions to the new ban after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade — a decision made possible by his appointment of three justices to the high court.

RNC committeeman Bill Palatucci of New Jersey, who has criticized Trump. And participated in the review, said that while the effort was “a monumental task.” That was getting underway, he didn’t believe it was too difficult.

To find out what happened last fall.

“I hope we don’t go so deep that we miss the forest for the trees,” he said. “it’s pretty simple. We were a bunch of terrible candidates. I don’t know what else to say .”

Palatucci, who endorsed Dhillon in the chair race, praised Barber. And said the panel discussed “all aspects” of past elections. Including fundraising, candidates, messaging and strategy.

“I said on our conference call with the RNC in November, I would give Rona an A for strategy,” he said. “Where we have a failing grade is messages and messengers. Donald Trump was a terrible messenger.”

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Dhillon said his biggest debate concern is. That the review could take until the summer to come out. Adding that such a timeline is “ridiculous given that we have an active primary season coming up.

“And so I urged the committee, ‘We have to do this ,'” he said. Adding that the July to March deadline for the final report has passed. “there is any shortage of opinion about what went wrong in the 2022 election cycle.

And I could do it in two weeks. To be honest, I already had many reasons.”

In a text message to todaystrend News, Barber said the timeline was still “a work in progress.” And added that March was “the earliest possible date, but it was not out of the question.

“May slip until April, but we generally agree that sooner is better,” he said. “But to be right.”

Barber co-authored the audit, dubbed the “Growth. And Opportunity Project,” after Republican Mitt Romney’s presidential defeat in 2012. Among other conclusions, it called on Republicans to soften their stance on immigration. And adopt a more inclusive posture. The suggestions were cast aside during Trump’s first bid for the White House.

At his Thursday gaggle, Dhillon said the group focused on about a dozen areas of inquiry. And had about 50 members participating in the process.

“We’re not focusing or eliminating any particular thing,” he said. “Things were not directed at us.”

He dismissed concerns about whether Trump.

Could play any role in the panel’s midterm deficit.

“that’s a valid concern,” he said. “Henry Barber is one of the vice-presidents. He is not a fan of the notorious Trump. And so we’ll have a pretty aim report. … When people say candidate quality, some perceive it as a code word for Trump approval. That’s why people are saying it.”

But for his own opinion, Dhillon, who lost to McDaniel in the chair race on Friday. Said it was too “simplistic” to call Trump a midterm loss. But he said the RNC had a role in securing good candidates for the party. — And appeared to take digs at high-profile candidates debate  Herschel Walker and Mehmet Oz. Who faced accusations of carpetbagging. Both received Trump’s endorsement and lost. Costing Republican Senate seats in Georgia and Pennsylvania.

“I’m talking about moral and practical leadership and persuasion,” he said. “And that sometimes means going to someone who’s famous and rich and saying. ‘If you’re not in the state, you shouldn’t run for Senate in that state.'”

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