The Republican Party of Harrison County

Republicans believe that people are basically good, and have the right be free. We believe that bigotry and prejudice have no part in a free nation. We believe in the power of prayer and in dealing with others according to the Golden Rule. We agree you can accurately judge a country by how many people are trying to get in, compared with how many want out.

The Republican Party of Harrison County is a grassroots volunteer organization working for good government. We enjoy keeping track of what our local, state, and national politicians are actually doing!

Republicans are firmly committed to moving our nation, our state, our county forward. Though we may face the tide of a hostile media and the wrath of those who envy America, Republicans believe that the direction we are moving is vital to our health and survival.

Hope for Republicans in 2008?

Posted By Bobby Eberle On January 3, 2008 at 7:17 am

There are many indicators which help give pundits and pollsters an idea of which party may be more successful in an election cycle. One such indicator is party affiliation. Simply asking survey participants to identify their political party of choice and then looking at the trends often gives an indication of the mood of the electorate.

Prior to the 2006 elections, those identifying themselves as Republican took a nose dive, while Democrat identification went up. We all know how that election turned out. However, some recent indicators suggest that the tide may be turning. Perhaps there is a light at the end of the tunnel?

A recent Rasmussen poll shows that the number of people who consider themselves to be Republican rose nearly two percentage points in December. That percentage (34.2%) is the highest for Republicans since January 2006. Those considering themselves to be Democrats fell to 36.3%, a decrease of one percentage point.

Gallup is also showing a similar turnaround for Republican identification. A recent poll shows that 33% of respondents identify themselves as Democrat, while 29% identify themselves as Republican. Compared to the previous month, the Democrats were stagnant, while the Republicans rose two percentage points.

Rasmussen notes that although Republican identification has risen, President Bush's approval rating has remained in the upper 30s. The mood of the country may have permanently soured on the president after the continuous push for immigration "reform" that no one wanted, but people are still willing to give the Republican party a chance when leaders stand up for conservative principles. As Rasmussen notes:
Back in May, the Republicans fell to their lowest level of party identification of the past four years (30.8%). Then, the immigration debate raged in Congress and some Republican legislators helped defeat an unpopular Senate immigration bill. Republicans have gained ground in five of the seven months since then. But, the gains in December -- 1.7 percentage points¬matched the total gains for the previous six months combined.
The December gains for the GOP coincide with increased public confidence in the War on Terror. It's interesting to note that this did not improve President Bush's Job Approval ratings while helping the Republican Party overall.
So... what is the reason for the gain? Is it the changing perception of the situation in Iraq? Is it the success in defeating the amnesty bill in Congress? It is both of those and more. The Democrats are helping Republicans tremendously by being completely inept since they took over after the 2006 elections. There is no leadership and no agenda.

There is definitely hope for Republicans in 2008. If Republican leaders stick to conservative principles, you can bet that party identification will continue to rise. But there are many roadblocks and potential pitfalls along the way. We have to get through the primary election cycle and rally around the nominee. Any splintering or talk of a third-party or independent run by a Republican will mean that the Democrats will win the White House. Legislatively, we must push for smaller government, lower taxes, and secure borders. Show real results in those areas, and we can win.

Yes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It's either daylight in the realization that Republican leaders have seen the error of their ways from 2006 or it's another train heading in our direction. My hope is that it's the former, with conservative principles guiding the way.