Outreach to Democrats
- Our most famous former-Democrat Republican was Ronald Reagan, who famously stated that he didn’t leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left him. I believe that’s our best argument again. Many Democrats are uncomfortable with their party’s pull to the far left. In the 1990s, a similar leftward march was countered by the likes of Bill Clinton, Dick Gephart, and Joe Lieberman who teamed together in the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) to bring their party back to the American center. By 2000, Bill Clinton had proclaimed the era of big government over, and the Gore-Lieberman ticket was running on a platform of increased private-sector jobs, free trade, reduced welfare rolls, anti-crime legislation, balanced budgets, and a plan to pay off the national debt by 2012. It’s hard to identify any current Democrats in Congress who support those positions today.
- To my Democratic friends who would agree that the Democratic Party has left them in those areas, I pledge to constantly work to make the Republican Party worthy of your consideration at the ballot box.
- I will never use insults or pejoratives to address my Democratic colleagues, and when discussing where I disagree with Democratic Party positions, I will always try to frame Democratic positions honestly in terms that you would use yourself.
- Even if you’re not ready to switch parties permanently, please consider voting for me for this election. You can see if I live up to my promises and at least send a message to your party.