I hope that you got Rory Koch permission to post his letter here on Residual Forces. Seeing that his letter is signed as the 4th District Chair.

I hope that Rory will also send out a disclaimer that these views are his alone, and does not reflect that of the 4th District.

May 31, 2007

Dear Fellow Republican,

As the race for state party chairman begins to heat up, I feel compelled to urge a note of caution to the campaign of Joe Repya. Perhaps he and members of his campaign should remember our party’s history.

The year was 1966, and then candidate Ronald Reagan in a heated campaign for governor of California was coming under fire from his liberal Republican opponent. The California Republican Chairman Gaylord Parkinson realized it was crucial to prevent a repeat of the liberal Republican attacks on conservative Barry Goldwater. A mere two years before liberal Rockefeller Republicans branded the conservative Goldwater as an “extremist” who was unfit to hold office, harsh attacks that laid the foundation for Goldwater’s eventual defeat in the 1964 presidential election.

Chairman Parkinson therefore coined the term that is now known as Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment: “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” Advice as pertinent in 2007 as it was 41 years ago.

I was reminded of this recently when I read a comment by Mr. Repya where he made the following statement:

“I turned down the offer because of the despicable condition the Minnesota Party is in following a greatly mismanaged and poorly executed election in 2006.” (emphasis mine) - Joe Repya, May 23, 2007

Whipping out my handy dictionary/thesaurus I looked up the word “despicable” and found the definition of the word:
“despicable [dispikəbl] adjective contemptible, worthless and deserving to be despised”
Worthless, despised, contemptible? This is not the language ANY Republican should be using to describe a fellow Republican, and most certainly not the type of thing you would say about the entire Party.

Friends, you and I are the Republican Party, and our Party is not in a “despicable condition.”

The leaders of the Republican Party are not “despicable” The activists of the Republican Party are not “despicable”. And frankly I don’t believe anyone who wants to lead the Republican Party should call our party “despicable.”

Negativity, pessimism and these blatant violations of Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment do not represent the kind of vision and leadership our party needs. In fact, when Joe Repya announced his campaign for party chairman on April 11th I was pleased when he promised to abide by Reagan’s 11th Commandment:

“…you know my style, I don’t come out complaining about people. I believe strongly in Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment ‘Thou shall not speak evil of a fellow Republican’”.

Sadly it seems Mr. Repya has chosen to break his promise to by abide by Reagan’s 11th Commandment when he called the Republican Party of Minnesota “despicable”.

We had a tough year in 2006, but our party, you and me, are in good shape and are ready to take on the challenges of getting our majority back. We are optimistic, we are engaged and enthusiastic, and we are ready to fight together in 2008 and beyond.

I am afraid we can expect more negativity, pessimism and mud from the Repya campaign. Mr. Repya’s most recent letter to delegates talked a lot about morals and ethics and I’m afraid he is foreshadowing his next attack on our party. I hope I am wrong, and that in the final few week of this campaign we can stay out of the mud.

I’d ask that you keep in mind what has already come out from this campaign, and please take with a grain of salt and a skeptical eye whatever is sent out or worse yet, whatever half-truths or falsehoods are pushed to our “friends” in the media. This would be an 11th hour desperate attempt to change the direction of the chairman’s race in the last week leading up to State Central.

Those who know me well know I’m an optimist and so I will try to remain confident Mr. Repya will do the right thing and retract these attacks on the party that we hold dear. President Ronald Reagan and Chairman Gaylord Parkinson would be proud.

I look forward to moving forward together with hope and optimism towards more great victories in the upcoming elections.

Your Republican friend,

Rory Koch
4th District Republican Chairman

I see someone got to you.

Don’t let them take away your position because of who you support for Chair. Other people get to use their tittle and position, that is, if it is in support of Carey. It is your right to have an opinion, and any one who thinks that your words speak for everyone, is just simply scared.

LL,

had Mr. Carey developed the relationship in 05 and 06 with the Caucus, (like I was lead to believe he would during his campaign and after his election) I am confident 2006’s election would not have been as bad as it was.

I was talking to an un-named Republican Representative in the Minnesota House, Ron Carey spent more time on the Capital building relationships with the Republican Caucus. Was that instrumental to the House Caucus developing a backbone? We don’t know for sure, but I can’t help but think that it doesn’t hurt!

LL

The American people do not want Democrats and Democrat Lite - they want a choice and that is something we did not give them.

LL

I would like to offer a disclaimer to my previous letter critical of state party leadership. It has come to my attention that some members of the executive board were uncomfortable with the placement of my title as deputy chair of the Senate District 38 Republicans in the signatory spot. Out of respect to the board of that organization and to those who may view the board, I offer this clarification:

This letter critical of party leadership, particularly Chairman Carey was sent out on behalf of me, Ryan Flugaur as an individual member of the Senate District 38 Republicans, and by no means reflects the opinion of the executive committee or the body of that organization.

Furthermore, while I remain critical of the leadership we have exhibited this legislative session and past biennium, the letter is not intended to be an attack of our party as a whole. The Republican Party of Minnesota is a fine institution. To all of us affiliated with it, and both the current and future leaders of it, I hope the passion of our principals continues to motivate us to make the party of Reagan, better tomorrow than it is today.

Sincerely

Ryan J. Flugaur

LL