The Republican Party of Kentucky: A Failure

(Note: This was originally, in part, written before the 2015 elections and after the 2011 elections in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It has been modified accordingly for accuracy) 

Fact: The Republican Party of Kentucky lost most of the offices it ran for in this election.

Fact: The Republican Party of Kentucky failed its constituents in electing Republican candidates.

Let me explain these two premises above in this article. While I am a conglomerate of ideals, I locate myself in the Republican party sights. Now I may occasionally veer towards the center or right of this spectrum in some cases--on a rare occasion I have crossed to the other side. Now, setting that aside, let's talk about the real problem of the Republican Party of Kentucky.

As a Republican, it is usually a hard campaign to fight in a trending state that goes Democrat on the state level, but Republican (except for the first term of Clinton) on the national level. However, it is possible for a Republican to attain control of an office. The problem laid with the Chairman and the people coordinating the front for GOP candidates. While the Chairman and the Party attempted to prepare certain people with the fortitude and capabilities to campaign, they failed miserably.

The most important thing for a political party to do in an election is show that their candidate is out there and make the news want to see it. Political advisors, managers, and strategists know all well that one key point is name recognition. In this cycle, c. 2011, the Republican candidate was known. However, he was known for the state pensions debacle and other notorious little things that have slanted the Senate President's chances of taking the Governor's office. Even from the other offices that could easily have been Republican wins, were lost because of ineptitude from the Republican Party of Kentucky.

The only candidate to win the 2011 state election was the Agricultural Commissioner. Granted, the opponent had made disparaging comments about his own constituencies had a dramatic effect on his election chances. Let's be reminded of some of the most important factors for elections, and these factors can be integrated into any cycle of election.

1. Name Recognition and Public Relations: This is one of the most pivotal things in elections besides money. This area is one that needs to be reaffirmed by any candidate of choice by the Republican Party of Kentucky. Even if their candidate did not have any recognition whatsoever, it would have been more profound to do "media bombs" to introduce the new candidate during strategic moments of air time. Further, to make any kind of advance into Democratic territory, we need to move forward in the internet age. If we fail--which we have--we may not be able to gain our momentum in taking what used to be our territory. 
2. Finance: Money is key, but not completely so. Some campaigns have been well planned with low finances. Now, several key Republicans have been able to use their money effectively and garner much needed funds. Now Senator Rand Paul used a style of "money bombing" to effectively recruit supporters to provide random sums of money. This technique proved valuable and useful for his campaign and winning the election. 
3. Technology Revolution: The KYGOP stays in its door to door mentality when most voters are not at home much, they are the epitome of the Techno Era. They log more hours now on Twitter, Facebook, and Vine than ever. To reach max efficiency, the KYGOP must vigorously ramp up its social media arm and attune to its voters. It needs more bloggers, more flash-mob recuritment, and need to enhance the College Republicans to deal with college students on their own campus while the main party must focus on in-state voters who meet the criteria. 
4. Quality Candidates: We need candidate who match the overall electorate, not what the party thinks it needs. We need candidates who are more moderate, yet principled, who can value their assets and yet call on the opposition--when necessary. A Tea Party candidate would not necessarily fair well--except for Rand Paul, inside a state election.We need candidates who can appeal to all the citizens. 

The KYGOP has failed for too many years because it does not look forward, for the near future or even the future! The Party must shed its visage of the decadent past and mobilize working people to rally for a better Commonwealth that makes us better in all aspects. 

Coming Together After Tragedy

The greatest horror isn't what we imagine to be, it is the end of someone’s life that we know. The horror that we must live without them in today’s society, alone. We cannot fathom the idea of our loved one, our friend, a person we knew who has such a bold and thriving life, just disappear.

This past week, that occurred.

A fellow Kentuckian, Dino Dizdarević, was suddenly and quickly taken from this world in a senseless way. His death, untimely as it is, reminds all members of the gay community, and even the heterosexual community, the fears and hatred of all kinds still exist.

I had the great pleasure of knowing Dino from our time at the Commonwealth program called Governor’s Scholars Program, a five-week intensive program designed to bring together the greatest minds and diverse people from this Commonwealth and to teach them. Dino was a fellow GSP member of the 2006 class at Centre College.

His death, and the many before it with the many—unfortunately—more to come, only reminds us too well that we are not safe in society.

Yes, we can identify those that would do such a thing and we can also label them a specific kind, and sometimes, we accidentally put good people in that label. No, I’m not saying that we can’t despise their hatred of us, but what I am saying that sometimes, we can look too narrowly.

Death is a terrible thing, especially when we don’t see it coming and when we never expect it. But what does it highlight for us as a community? We know and see the vitriol of hatred that spews from radical right-wing and some more right of center members, but no matter what the issue, we as a community must come together.

We also need to remind ourselves that we can take precautions to protect ourselves and loved ones. We just need to remember that we can make a difference, we can be more than what a small, fringe population believes. And yes, it is a small fringe group that hates and demoralizes us, but as is with history, things fade in to the back. Yet, at what cost.

My friend’s death brought me to a place that I haven’t felt in a very long time, and it scares me. It scared my parents to see me like that. But the one thing that I can take away from this tragedy is that our fight is far from over and it is not a lose-lose scenario. We can make a difference, and we will.

Dino’s death taught me to live life, no matter the cost, because that’s what he did. He lived and even though it was short, he lived those years with purpose, as should we.

Remember, watch your surroundings, trust your instincts, tell someone—even if it’s a text or a quick phone call—of where you’re going and when to expect you again, and always look out for others, even if you don’t know them.

Evil is the product of the ability of humans to make abstract that which is concrete. – Jean-Paul Sartre

Evil exists, but we can extinguish it. We can take every death and make them proud of the accomplishments we make.