SCHOCK TO THE SYSTEM

If Republicans are going to turn the page, start fresh and begin winning again, it’s worth taking a close look at why the Republican Party got to where we are in both Illinois and in Washington, D.C., and what it will take to get back in the saddle again.

The sad fact is that most political analysts believe the Democrats did not  win control of Congress—but rather Republicans lost it.

The accomplishments of the Republican Majority in Congress since 1994 are astonishing and every American lives a better life today because of those changes made with that historic majority. Yet, beginning a few years ago, our congressional leaders and our majority who led so valiantly for over a decade, began to get tired, lose their way, get ground down, and run out of energy. 

Last year, the public overwhelmingly came to believe that the Republican Majority had lost its way and strayed from Republican core principles. 

Many of these voters were “Reagan Democrats,” who began voting Republican in the 1980’s because they admired Ronald Reagan’s forthrightness and his deep conviction for conservative principles. 

President Reagan was able to articulate how ordinary peoples’ concerns were best addressed by applying conservative principles. That message was so compelling that it caused people to switch political parties.

The monumental failure of Bill Clinton’s first two years in office while Democrats also controlled both the House and Senate, also brought new voters to the Republican Party. In 1994, that resulted in the first Republican Congressional Majority in 40 years.

The bad news is that voters who had been voting Republican, along with many life-long Republicans, were revolted by what they saw as Congressional Republicans’ betrayal of core principles with massive overspending, no new ideas, stagnation and corruption.

The good news is that Democrat takeover of Congress in the 2006 elections has been a complete flop. To win that control, many promises were made, and since Democrats assumed power, those promises have been broken. None of the major reforms promised have been enacted. Congressional Democrats have hit a brick wall—reality. 

As a result, public opinion polls show the approval rating of Congress is now the lowest in history—11%. 

While public opinion polls show voters have a decidedly low approval of the Democrats running Congress now, they believe Republicans still have a long way to go to reconnect with the tried and true conservative principles that have guided the heritage of the Republican Party.

In the current elections, voters are yearning for real change. The Republican Party can offer that change from within our party and win again, or continue on a path of being the same old, same old and lose again. 

The key is to transcend the recent mistakes of many in our party with new candidates fully committed to our enduring principles.

To succeed, Republicans need to use the transition that 2008 embodies for our national government, to renew our membership in Congress by offering the very best candidates within our party—candidates who have the ability to excite our voters again. 

Voters are thirsty for refreshing new ideas, straight speaking, and a reconnection with our basic conservative guiding philosophy. They are not willing to vote Republican simply based on what we oppose—they want to know what we stand FOR.

They want a rupture from the broken system in Washington, D.C. They are looking for candidates who they feel represent a clean break from all that is wrong in our national government. 

We need a fresh rededication to the heritage of all that we stand for, with new members energetically committed to a positive agenda based on conservative principles, to solve the problems confronting our nation today and more importantly, to strategically place our nation exactly where we need to be for the future.

The stakes are high in 2008. Many national political observers believe Democrat predictions of them gaining 40 more seats in the House of Representatives and taking over the Presidency. Whether or not that happens is up to each and every Republican right now, beginning with our primary election on February 5, 2008. We have it in our power to defy the odds, turn conventional wisdom on its head and gain seats in Congress and elect a new Republican President.

Republican State Representative Aaron Schock has a solid conservative voting record coupled with a proven ability to win back voters Republicans have lost in recent years. Many Republicans believe Aaron Schock represents the best hope for a rejuvenated Republican Party in Congress and a reinvigorated Republican Party in Illinois.

Aaron Schock represents a Republican reconnection with tried and true conservative principles, a superior ability to articulate those principles to all voters, outstanding legislative experience, and an ability to win elections in an unfavorable district for Republicans and in unfavorable election years for Republicans.

Candidate Schock gives Republicans a clean break from all that voters feel has gone wrong with the Republican Party. On top of that, he offers substantive ideas to address our nation’s pressing challenges that our party stands for.

Aaron Schock has worked hard to bring the conservative message to groups that have turned away from the Republican Party and he has succeeded. By reaching out and explaining what he is for, Representative Schock has been able to win with 59% of the vote in a district that regularly gives 60% of the vote to Democrats—even with his very conservative voting record.

The 92nd State Legislative District that Aaron Schock represents is the only majority Democrat district wholly within the 18th Congressional District, yet Republican Schock has been victorious twice in that district. This demonstrates that he is supremely positioned to beat any Democrat—no matter how bad the national tide might be against the Republican Party, and no matter how much time and money national Democrats pour in to win the 18th District of Illinois.

New national Republican leaders take Aaron Schock as a candidate for Congress very seriously and have enthusiastically supported his candidacy. 

Congressman Eric Cantor of Virginia is the House Chief Deputy Whip (the Number Four Republican leader) and has hosted events for Schock’s campaigns and said, “Aaron Schock is the role model for what our party needs to do to win back the voters we have lost in recent years. He will re-energize our party in Congress and I strongly support his election.” 

The House Republican Conference Chairman, Adam Putnam of Florida, also has endorsed Schock and offered to help, as has former Speaker Dennis Hastert, who has said, “Aaron Schock is one of the most exciting Republicans in the nation today.”

Six Republican Illinois Congress members also hosted an event in Washington for Schock and look forward to working with him. Indeed, neighboring Congressman John Shimkus from southern Illinois, contributed the maximum $5,000 to Aaron Schock’s campaign for Congress in September. 

These members of Congress have been impressed with Aaron’s experience in legislating, depth on the issues and winning tough elections. They recognize his powerful appeal to the voters because of how well he articulates what he stands for.