RPW Review and 2020 Strategy Report

20/20 2020 RPW 2018 REview 2 MESSAGE FROM THE COMMITTEE As the old adage goes, hindsight is 20/20. It’s always easy to look back and see clearly mistakes and successes. It’s much harder to look into the future and have the same clarity. The Republican Party of Wisconsin is at a crossroads – we’ve reached an intersection where we have to take what we learned in the 2018 cycle and use that to chart our path forward. We have to take our 20/20 hindsight and turn it into a vision for 2020. As Republicans, we often look to business as a Congressional district Party leaders held conference model for achieving effi ciency and quality while calls and meetings with county parties and activists. eliminating waste. In business, in health care, Dozens of conference calls were held around in all industries where continual improvement is the state that included hundreds of people. We 2018 review the expectation, they take a clear-eyed look at conducted a survey asking a group of key Party their past struggles and build solutions so that the activists specifi c questions on RPW interactions same mistakes aren’t made again. This is done by with the grassroots. We talked to people who had conducting regular evaluations and reviews of the positive things to say, and we talked to people who Committee members systems and programs in place. told harsh truths. In 2018 we lost all statewide elections on the ballot. We got some kudos and some kicks. And now is the Despite the national climate, we had many positives time to make changes. Support and unity are more Tom Schreibel, Chair Mary Buestrin, Co-Chair on our side. Republicans again dominated in the important after a diffi cult cycle, one where we faced legislative races—as we have most of the past losses. This is a tremendous opportunity to clear the Senator Ron Johnson Reince Priebus quarter century—with better organizations, better air and refocus eff orts on the things that matter as candidates and better campaigns. Yet statewide, we we move into the vitally important 2020 presidential Representative Tyler August Andrew Hitt had seasoned candidates, a strong economy, and an election. engaged grassroots organization, but still came up Brad Courtney Brian Westrate short. We want to thank the many people who took time to make this report possible. We could not reach Gerard Randall Bob Spindell In December, we set out to briefl y look back while we everyone who would have wanted to share their prepare to move forward. A committee, representing perspective, and we want to be clear that this is just Ivan Gamboa Kim Babler a cross section of our membership, was formed the beginning of an ongoing conversation. Let us to evaluate our strengths and weaknesses. We know what you think. We appreciate your honesty, Jesse Garza Kathy Kiernan talked with elected offi cials, volunteers, paid staff , your passion, and your commitment to fi xing operatives and donors both large and small. We what’s broken and standing shoulder to shoulder Kelly Ruh Carol Brunner sought out opinion leaders inside and outside the as a strong GOP team as we face a presidential party. We discussed what worked and what didn’t - campaign that promises to be incredible. Darryl Carlson Mark Jeff erson with particular focus on the recent cycle. Forward to 2020! We were fortunate to have had Governor Recommendation: Work on restoring the 4 Walker’s personal commitment to the traditional structure, increase interaction grassroots and to policy initiatives that have with activists and accountability with staff . “Every system helped keep activists engaged and confi dent in Provide services like training on subjects an agenda that was moving Wisconsin forward. from membership and volunteer recruitment, to fundraising and compliance, to campaign is perfectly designed Over time, the Republican Party of Wisconsin management. drifted from its roots as a grassroots organization and became a top-down Communication to get the result it gets.” bureaucracy, disconnected from local activists, recklessly reliant on outside consultants and Most grassroots don’t think RPW took for granted money that was raised to keep communicates adequately W. Edwards Deming the Party functioning properly. Sometimes unhelpful, unresponsive, even Local party leaders told us of their concerns rude staff about RPW’s organizational structure, a breakdown in communications, and a lack of a Website cumbersome and not as useful as it clear strategy. should be Further, as we looked at the basic operation, Campaign to RPW staff and RPW staff to we found that there was an additional problem grassroots communication was lacking concealed from the grassroots leaders – cash Executive summary fl ow concerns and debt. Campaign messaging and coordination problems While it’s not ideal to be in problem-solving mode now, state parties in key, target swing Media relations need improvement 20/20 Hindsight states that do not have a sitting governor do have the opportunity to redirect and focus Recommendation: Create communication energy where it matters. structures and opportunities to keep members informed, engaged and ready to help with This course correction does matter, and must be messaging. State parties that spend years in the enviable our top priority. Financial Accountability position of having a strong governor directing Organizational Structure Overreliance on consultants exploded costs the organization and raising funds often follow a Management of RPW was essentially and diminished accountability outsourced to the governor’s campaign similar pattern, with some strong positives and operation Little RPW oversight of consultant contracts or spending existed some problems developing over time. Grassroots needs and expectations were not met in the areas of: More Party functions must be done in-house ◊ Training Recommendation: Retire debt, cut waste, Wisconsin is no diff erent. ◊ Communication restore accountability and implement common- ◊ Unity sense fi nancial controls “The worker is not the problem. 6 The problem is at the top! Organizational Management!” W. Edwards Deming Structure By design, county parties make up the state party and state parties make up the national committee in a bottom-up, grassroots structure. It’s traditional, and important, for a state party Training to work closely with its sitting governor’s organization. But over time, as is the case in County leaders want to have access to training many states with an incumbent governor, the for membership on a number of items including RPW drifted from that grassroots organization compliance, fundraising, and recruitment. and morphed into a top-down entity, reliant on and answerable to consultants, distanced from the There are opportunities for RPW to do training in people who are the foundation of the party. all these areas. Some training manuals just need to be dusted off , updated and re-off ered. Other One survey respondent commented: training will be available as the Trump Victory eff ort ramps up, and will focus on grassroots “Concentrate its efforts on building the activation. We will learn what the program will grassroots; not trying to run campaigns. look like and how we can complement the Trump Campaigns should be run by the candidates; Victory eff ort in the coming weeks and months. of County Party not the state party. The state party should be there to support the campaign of the Other training needs can be developed in-house, candidates, not run them.” or coordinated with the RNC or neighboring states. Our legislative committees off er training to This speaks to the disconnect between RPW and their staff and candidates every cycle that’s been Leaders said NO the grassroots. If a state party is to be successful, quite successful and could likely be shared. it must resist the urge to be all things to all people. Resources won’t allow it and it’s arrogant to Our many successful county parties can mentor when asked if the RPW provided county party suggest that only RPW should contribute to the other parties as well. Best practices for county mission of advancing candidates and messages. party building should be shared readily at leadership with the necessary tools and training. statewide county party trainings. Staff training Common themes emerged surrounding the RPW volunteers is helpful and will be utilized - but peer organizational structure: training, responsiveness to peer training can be even more valuable and and party unity building. must be put to use. shows person-to-person interaction at the Young Voters doors is more motivating and persuasive than 8 a phone conversation or mailed literature. We also need to focus signifi cantly more attention on our college campuses, and Organization That said, nothing has replaced the support our College Republicans, who fi nd camaraderie of a busy fi eld offi ce. There are themselves outnumbered and too often Continued. plenty of things to do there - from thank you unsupported. notes and dear neighbor post cards, to pledge cards for medium-to-low turnout voters. Some College campuses have an obligation to allow phones do remain necessary in major offi ces. diverse points of view to be heard, and that As has been the case in previous years, local party leaders, along with the staff includes the center right perspective. The Election Day operations and trainings will assigned to their area, must be treated Some felt that paid staff should be working on RPW can work with, train and be a clearing be conducted as well - at the state level, with respect. doors all day. Others felt the fi eld staff spent house for best practices. County parties can in cooperation with interested parties and too much time on doors instead of recruiting be mentors to their local CR activists.

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