HELENA – Montana Republicans meeting here later this week to pick a new leader have two announced candidates who are both promising to re-energize the GOP — but each comes with a slightly different strategy to do so.
GOP officials and local officers will also modify rules and hear from elected leaders including U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg and previous luminaries like former Gov. Judy Martz. But the contested battle for the chairmanship could take top billing.
Candidates Rick Breckenridge of Proctor and Will Deschamps of Missoula both say the Republican Party has not done nearly well enough in elections. Democrats control all five statewide spots from the governor on down, and both of the prized U.S. Senate seats.
Breckenridge said he wants the Republican Party to refocus on the conservative message that led to a groundswell of involvement in tax day “tea parties.”
Deschamps said Montana Republicans have been ineffective at coming together to deliver the core Republican message that he said plays well in the state.
Breckenridge said he was “appalled” at the condition of local organizing committees in recent election cycles. The former Army officer said they need to be improved so they can effectively help candidates.
“It really lit a fire under me, and got my battle blood up,” he said. “I just said ‘We have to do something about it.'”
He said he wants to focus on improving the local organizations, raising money and better competing with Democrats at the volunteer level.
“There are people out there and they want to participate. They just need to be guided and directed and given a job,” Breckenridge said. “What we have done in the past, in my opinion, has not been successful as a strategy.”
Breckenridge is also touting the enthusiasm created by the Ron Paul supporters who got involved last year in an effort to carry the Montana primary for the former presidential candidate. He also will make a point to emphasize the anti-abortion portion of the party platform, alongside the key message of limited government.
“I think there is some fear of the enthusiasm that Dr. Paul has energized,” he said. “But once we get everything working, I think the finger pointing will stop.”
Deschamps said raising money, winning legislative seats, re-electing Rehberg and better coordinating efforts would be priorities for him.
He noted victories for Montana Republicans last year, a very poor year nationally for the Republican brand.
Deschamps said the state re-elected Rehberg and gave the GOP control of the state Senate and a split in the House — one of just a handful of states where Republicans picked up state legislative seats.
There are areas that need to be improved, such as recruiting good candidates for tough races, he said.
“We have lost our way. We just need to find a different way of crafting our message so people listen to us,” Deschamps said.
Part of it is getting Republicans focused on the core message of fiscal conservatism that binds them all together. He said Democrats have done a better job of sticking together on the same message.
“We have to find some palatable place where we can go to and all move forward. The my-way-or-the-highway method doesn’t work,” Deschamps said. “I think the Republican message is the message that resonates best with the Montana voters. The problem has been communication and getting the message out and crafting it in a way that people listen to it.”