Posted by Tracy Russo on November 16, 2006 at 01:54 PM
So you may have heard that some folks inside the Beltway still haven't quite gotten the concept of the 50-State Strategy. I know that is hard to believe - the idea that the Democratic National Committee would seek to a build a National Democratic Party is clearly hard to grasp. Luckily, outside the beltway, Democrats get it and have seen the success of the strategy, even in these early stages.
Delaware provides a
delicious example.
On their side:
State GOP ousts staff Three paid employees out on Dec. 31; party chief blames money woes
The Delaware Republican Party has fired its entire paid headquarters staff, effective at the end of the year, blaming a post-election cash shortage.
State GOP Chairman Terry Strine said David Crossan, the party's executive director, Ken Grant, its communications director, and Chris DuHadaway, the office manager, will stay on the payroll through Dec. 31.
He said unpaid volunteers will perform the office manager and communication director jobs until the party is on a better financial footing, but that the GOP will look for a new executive director.
"It's a very, very difficult job and something I'd rather not do," Strines said. "But it's something we have to do to keep the doors open."
The dismissals follow disappointing Election Day results for the GOP, highlighted by the loss of three state House of Representatives seats and the defeat of Ferris Wharton, the Republican candidate for state Attorney General.
And on our side...
Democrats this year had three full-time staffers paid for through the 2008 election as part of Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean’s nationwide party-building plan.
But the state GOP has had to rely on its own fundraising prowess to pay staff salaries.
“It’s something that gives them a tremendous advantage,” Strine said.
And that's just Delaware.