UNPRINCIPLED: Republican Donor Group Sets Aside Ideology

We Republicans are really at a crossroads. When the big money folks start openly advocating that we "set aside ideology and focus on finding good, electable candidates" we are in serious trouble. Isn't the entire point of the party system to identify qualified individuals who are willing to aggressively advocate on behalf of one value system who then compete against those who represent another value system?

This was just posted over on the Total Buzz blog by Martin Wiskol:

OC Group Trying to Reverse GOP's California Fortunes

Former state GOP Chairman Duf Sundheim leaned on several big-money guys in OC to launch "California Republicans Aligned for Tomorrow." The group plans to set aside ideology and focus on finding good, electable candidates for statewide office. One name that has come up for governor: Meg Whitman, former chief executive officer of eBay. After all, the GOP has won just four of the 24 statewide races held since 1998.

Read the complete story on the Sundheim's group, whose Orange County members include George Argyros, William Lyon, Michael Hayde, and Larry Dodge.

Here is the corresponding newspaper article written by Martin Wisckol and his associate Ronald Campbell:

Local GOP donors at core of new party strategy
Wealthy Republicans set aside ideology and focus on finding candidates who can win.
By MARTIN WISCKOL and RONALD CAMPBELL
The Orange County Register

When former state GOP Chairman Duf Sundheim decided to launch an unusual plan to get Republicans elected in California, he turned to big money men in Orange County.

He rallied together nine donors at $100,000 each. Six are from Orange County, including the New Majority political action committee and four of the New Majority's key members.

Why did the Palo Alto lawyer lean so heavily on the Orange County-based New Majority?

"They tend to see things as they are and say, 'Why not try something different,' " said Sundheim, chairman of the state party from 2003 to 2007. "They are creative and they get things done."

Exhibit No. 1 might be Arnold Schwarzenegger. The New Majority lent critical early backing to Schwarzenegger's campaign. Despite criticism from grassroots Republicans that the new governor was not a GOP purist, Sundheim stuck by Schwarzenegger throughout his term as state chairman.

But Schwarzenegger was a rare win for Republicans in this heavily blue state.

The GOP has won just four of the 24 statewide elections since 1998. Sundheim said the genesis of his new group came in October 2006, when he was trying to raise money for lieutenant governor candidate Tom McClintock and secretary of state candidate Bruce McPherson. He says surprisingly few potential donors even knew the two were running. Both lost.

"In the future, I want to make sure people like this have the money and resources to get the ball over the line," said Sundheim, who started organizing the group last year.

Sundheim emphasized that the group - California Republicans Aligned for Tomorrow or CRAFT - does not have an ideological agenda other than to elect Republicans.

The New Majority is natural fit for such an effort. The group has focused on being a voice of moderation in the party, emphasizing diversity and practicality. It downplays social issues like abortion and gun-control, which can energize the GOP base but scare off middle-of-the road voters.

Sundheim said his group will not be making donations to candidates, nor will it be running independent expenditure campaigns. Rather, it will be talking to potential candidates, and encouraging those it thinks have a chance. It will pay for surveys and focus groups. It will make sure potential candidates know where to turn for help in terms of consultants and fundraisers. It will sponsor candidate seminars, and take other steps to make sure strong candidates know what they're doing.

Read the rest of the story over at the Orange County Register, here.