8 Quick Reforms to Fix the Clark County Republican Party

I couldn’t just put out an admittedly negative article and not provide at least a positive spin out of it. Instead of a long scrawl about what’s bad, I hope you’ll enjoy a short scrawl of some back-of-the-napkin ideas and good places to start for the next Chair, be it Senator Buck or someone else, to make the Clark County Republican Party effective again.

1. Welcome New Movers

Nevada’s anti-California rhetoric is funny when it is talking about traffic and drunken tourists. It’s not funny when a family is trying to find a new home with no income tax, rent under $2,000 a month and a stable job. We need to effectively explain who we are to goodhearted Californias online, in person, and via mail. Many conservatives have abandoned young, minority families but they are ripe for a new message. A strong economy, school choice, and safe neighborhoods are all things that these newcomers are open to if we can focus on them instead of the latest shiny thing the media tells us we need to focus on like Dr. Suess and Pepe Le Pew.

2. Coordinate Consultants and Clubs

Many of my good friends are political consultants in Nevada and across the US (But don’t hold that against them! They don’t know any better.). Consultants have one goal: work and money. They are businesses. The CCRP is like two decades away from being powerful enough to tell consultants what races to pursue and candidates to recruit but with an empowered, legitimate Board that can act as an arbiter, negotiator, and clearing house, we could see some positive coordination by the time my son is old enough to register to vote. Clubs want power instead of money. Their dues keep them afloat but they are always looking to expand their realms of influence. If their work is overlapping, disparate and frantic, those dues are worth nothing. Women’s Clubs don’t need marching orders or advice or mansplaining but they do need to communicate what they are focusing on so others can fill in other needs.

3. Audit the Organization Openly

There is one clear way for the new Chair to garner support from even the most ardent opposition: Audit the CCRP. A clear money trail could help people trust new leadership to do things differently. Additionally, if the new Board can admit past failures, outline specific goals and hammer out a plan so that people will know exactly what their donations are for, money would start to flow in.

4. Create Diverse Advisory Boards

Anyone who has ever been in the room for a CCRP meeting will know it isn’t the most diverse room in the Silverton. We need new blood and new voices to help us look more like Nevada’s diverse population. These boards could help candidates write literature, craft messaging, and help policy makers make decisions from a better perspective. A short list of potential committees is included below:

• Latino

• Black

• Asian American and Pacific Islander

• Women

• Youth

• 2nd Amendment

• Faith

• Environmental (Green)

• Education

• Veterans

• Criminal Justice Reform and Civil Rights

• LGBTQ+

• Union Members

5. Get Everyone Busy as Hell

The busier people are, the less time they have to be angry about bylaw violations and buying a new printer for the office. There is a hierarchy of needs for a thriving political organization. I’ve prepared a simple one below that every single person from Eddie “MAGA” Hamilton to Sherman Ray could find their niche and contribute in the best possible ways:

a. Donor – Money makes the world go round. If you can donate, do it. This is a primary need and everyone is happier when donations are in. There is a lot of advocacy and political will you can buy with reliable money. That sounds really bad but that’s the biz, baby.

b. Candidate – If you are interested in running and can make that gigantic sacrifice to your family, business, and friends, I applaud you. But, it’s not for everyone. There are about a million considerations to make before you decide to run. Sometimes those million considerations are dollars, other times it is whether you have a thick enough skin to take questions at a press conference.

c. Volunteer – The lifeblood of county politics are the men and women who want to give their time free of charge to the Republican cause. I’ve met hundreds of these folks across 5 states and I’m continuously surprised by how selfless and good-natured they can be. We need more and more.

• Voter Registration – The ol’ table in front of the DMV… and hopefully at immigration ceremonies!

• Voter Contact – Pounding pavement and hitting the dialer.

• New Mover Mailers – Who doesn’t want a nice “Welcome to Nevada!” handwritten note from their friendly local Republican?

d. Online Amplifier – We’ve got about 5 million of these but with zero direction and very little policing for conspiracy theories. We need a task force of solid keyboard warriors to help mobilize and weaponize well-intentioned social media folks to spread real, actionable, and helpful information online. No Proud Boys Need apply.

e. Community Leader – Maybe the political realm isn’t for you. Republicans need more non-profit CEOS, more philanthropists, more 5K runners, and more community servants. If you’re making Nevada better place, we need to be there to support you.

f. Voter – Busy raising a family and running a small business and making America great? We need your vote. You’ve done your job.

6. Fix the Meetings

There is nothing worse than a meeting with no real point. CCRP Meetings are either belabored by bylaw wrangling or too long with non-essential business. The incoming chair must send out clear direction of each action item, explain the pros and cons, and give vote recommendations for the business many days ahead of time. The business should be done first and as quickly as humanly possible and then tentatively adjourned for breakouts, presentations, and networking. So many people foolishly bring new Republicans to possibly the worst meeting we could imagine.

7. Make a Plan

The outgoing board unveiled a plan and printed it on shiny cards the meeting before a vote on their performance. We might need a little more time ahead than that for future votes.

8. Raise Money

The Chair has one job. One. Along with a Finance Committee that meets regularly, to raise money. That’s it. Not post to Facebook. Not cook pancakes at the cookout. Raise money. If they aren’t doing that, nothing else matters.