Retiring Congressman Ray LaHood is campaigning to replace Illinois' controversial Republican National Committeeman Bob Kjellander.
LaHood, who is completing his seventh two-year term in the House and isn’t seeking re-election to Congress, said Thursday he has sent a letter to members of the Republican State Central Committee seeking their support to become the national committeeman.
The Illinois GOP has three members on the national committee — the state party chairman, and one woman and one man. The man is Bob Kjellander of Springfield, whose term ends with the completion of this year’s Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.
“Kjellander is not running again,” LaHood said, adding that he has spoken with state GOP Chairman Andy McKenna and others about the committeeman post.
(Hat tip: McLean County Pundit)
Lahood is not exactly a "movement conservative", is he?
Illinois has no viable "movement conservatives."
whatever happened to Steve Raushenberger?
This.
And this.
And this.
maybe we can blame all that on a bad campaign manager :-)
What about Ousting McKenna? Any thing looking up on that front?
I've not heard anything about replacing McKenna, and his term runs through 2010.
Is there any way to ditch McKenna before 2010? 2010 is an important election year in Illinois, and we do not need that BoZo mucking things up.
The decision to replace him or elect him to another term will be made after the 2010 Primary election, IIRC, well before November 2010.
It appears that any significant resurgence of influence and political success of the Illinois Republican Party is dependent upon the speedy removal of Andrew McKenna. If McKenna is to remain untill after the 2010 Primary, the chances of replacing Blosonafavich with a Republican will be essentially zero.
"It appears that any significant resurgence of influence and political success of the Illinois Republican Party is dependent upon the speedy removal of Andrew McKenna."
Actually, it's a lot more dependent on you and me and other local activists than it will ever be on a State Party Chairman.
***Actually, it's a lot more dependent on you and me and other local activists than it will ever be on a State Party Chairman.*** I am with you there.
Actually, it's a lot more dependent on you and me and other local activists than it will ever be on a State Party Chairman.
Given the Illinois GOP and most local activists' track record lately, I doubt they could organize a two-car funeral, let alone getting elected to a statewide office.
"What about Ousting McKenna?"
What good would that do? No one can help right now in that position.
"Given the Illinois GOP and most local activists' track record lately, I doubt they could organize a two-car funeral, let alone getting elected to a statewide office."
Ouch.
"Given the Illinois GOP and most local activists' track record lately, I doubt they could organize a two-car funeral, let alone getting elected to a statewide office." Yes and Blago has been such a great governor?
"Given the Illinois GOP and most local activists' track record lately, I doubt they could organize a two-car funeral, let alone getting elected to a statewide office." Yes and Blago has been such a great governor?
Shocker statement from run4cvrlib, who turns this onto Blago instead of figuring out why his party sucks.
Blago has sucked as governor, that's no secret to most people. However, he was apparently good enough to beat the Republicans even with a semi-viable Green candidate in the race because they couldn't get their shit together. You would think that the ILGOP could've capitalized on a golden opportunity to take at least one statewide office, but you should never underestimate their ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
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"Another Anon with a worthless opinion" - Run4cvrlib on 2/2/08
"I guess I have little tolerance for people who just attack people just to do it and give no justification." - Run4cvrlib on 2/2/08
To me, that's a large part of the Illinois GOP's problem - they're an anti-Blagojevich party right now, with no unifying issues or principles. The last few budgets, in which Republicans voted in favor of disastrous trainwrecks in exchange for some pork, are a perfect illustration of that. There's nobody in the Illinois GOP who will stand up and lead. Everybody would rather sit back and take shots at Blago.
It's pretty sad, actually.
That's right Arvid I am the problem with state not Blago. I don't think the local activists are the problem with the GOP as IP said I think that some of the state party is. The part that chose’s to partner with the democrats.
Arvid the fool who thinks I run the state party.
Arvid's not a fool. He's rightly pointing out that you blamed Blago for the state sucking rather than address the problems we have within our own party.
It's my opinion that:
1. The state's current situation sucks.
2. Blago bears a lot of the blame.
3. The GOP bears a lot of blame as well for not presenting any sort of credible alternative.
I think you'd agree with that.
IP said: To me, that's a large part of the Illinois GOP's problem - they're an anti-Blagojevich party right now, with no unifying issues or principles. The last few budgets, in which Republicans voted in favor of disastrous trainwrecks in exchange for some pork, are a perfect illustration of that. There's nobody in the Illinois GOP who will stand up and lead. Everybody would rather sit back and take shots at Blago.
Run4cvrlib: That's right Arvid I am the problem with state not Blago. I don't think the local activists are the problem with the GOP as IP said I think that some of the state party is. The part that chose’s to partner with the democrats.
IP pointed this out perfectly. The state party sets the ILGOP's direction and many of the local area activists just hop right on instead of questioning why you're blaming everything on Blago over focusing on preparing a better candidate to run against him or the Democratic/Green candidate next time. The local activists are directly the problem with the GOP because you are not forcing the state party to change. You'd think you would be, considering the path to irrelevancy that you are being led down, but it's always easier to talk about change than it is to enact it.
Arvid the fool who thinks I run the state party.
Oy. No, you're just the classical fool who proves my point: It's just so much easier for the ILGOP and its activists to pick at Blago instead of seriously wonder why the people of Illinois sent him back to Springfield instead of your candidate and make the changes necessary to prevent that from happening a third time. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.
Believe me, I'm a big fan of watching your party screw itself over, so by all means go right ahead and continue what you are doing.
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"Another Anon with a worthless opinion" - Run4cvrlib on 2/2/08
"I guess I have little tolerance for people who just attack people just to do it and give no justification." - Run4cvrlib on 2/2/08
"The local activists are directly the problem with the GOP because you are not forcing the state party to change."
Bingo.
When we complain about the state party sucking, we're really complaining about ourselves, because we (all of us, activists and Precinct Committeemen and local elected officials, etc.) ARE the state GOP.
They'll change and become more effective only when we demand that they do so. So far, we're having some success at a local level (at least in the 15th District) but it hasn't yet "trickled up" to the state level.
They'll change and become more effective only when we demand that they do so. So far, we're having some success at a local level (at least in the 15th District) but it hasn't yet "trickled up" to the state level.
That's because Reagan only taught you guys how to make things "trickle down" :)
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"Another Anon with a worthless opinion" - Run4cvrlib on 2/2/08
"I guess I have little tolerance for people who just attack people just to do it and give no justification." - Run4cvrlib on 2/2/08
Maybe Gordy sits on his hands and accepts everything that goes on in the party but I don't (maybe it’s his support of Giuliani). I am only one person although I have worked to motivate people to move in a direction that helps us move to toward smaller government and personal responsibility. My Blago comment is meant to point out that you democrats are not exactly sending great leaders to Springfield. Just to let you know if there is something posted after “It's my opinion that:” it is not showing up on my screen.
"Maybe Gordy sits on his hands and accepts everything that goes on in the party but I don't (maybe it’s his support of Giuliani)."
Huh? I think you know better than that.
"My Blago comment is meant to point out that you democrats are not exactly sending great leaders to Springfield."
My point is that the Republicans still can't beat them, which says everything that needs to be said about the Illinois GOP and the quality of our candidates and campaigns and efforts since 2002.
And I'm just as much to blame as anyone. I managed to lose a winnable race in 2006.
"Just to let you know if there is something posted after “It's my opinion that:” it is not showing up on my screen"
Odd. I'll see if I can fix that.
"My Blago comment is meant to point out that you democrats are not exactly sending great leaders to Springfield."
The people of Illinois are the ones who send people to Springfield, not the Democratic or Republican or Green parties. Still, given all of the information, the people of Illinois chose to send Blago back to Springfield than any of the other options. That should tell you something about the quality of the ILGOP these days.
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"Another Anon with a worthless opinion" - Run4cvrlib on 2/2/08
"I guess I have little tolerance for people who just attack people just to do it and give no justification." - Run4cvrlib on 2/2/08
One huge problem with the GOP is a lack of candidates.
Anyone with more than one healthy neuron should have been able to do the logic to see that Topinka was going to get slaughtered. It was an election where if the choice were Topinka, Blago or none of the above were the choices, option (c) would have won by a landslide. It should be pretty darn humbling to have your candidate ID'ed as a worse evil than the hated Blago.
There are a few prophets in every generation, and the GOP has been rejecting them. BS and attitude will be no substitute for real substance. Whether we like it or not, we are not living in a true democracy, and the candidates are slated by the party leadership, who in great measure can aid a potential candidate, impede a candidate they dont like, or ignore a candidate that doesnt suit the leadership somehow. The people finally only have a little bit of say about who gets elected in the end.
I love how we are blaming McKenna for stuff that happened four years ago and Giuliani for stuff that is happening now.
Still, given all of the information, the people of Illinois chose to send Blago back to Springfield than any of the other options. That should tell you something about the quality of the ILGOP these days.
All the information? From the soundbites they saw on TV? Please, the average voter doesn't research anything about the people they vote for, they go in the voting booth and whoever is passing out the most "candy" at the time, they vote for him/her. They don't always think about what is good for all and what can, in the long run, be best - just the here and now. So you get the here and now candidate, Blago, passing out the government candy. And some republicans are just like him, passing out the candy.
I agree it is telling.
"So you get the here and now candidate, Blago, passing out the government candy. And some republicans are just like him, passing out the candy. "
Yes - and that's why the Illinois GOP is losing so many elections so badly, in my opinion. They have no ideas and no principles, so they're reduced to promising to pass out candy, just like the other guys. Look at last year's budget vote. Remind me again why House Republicans voted for it? Oh, yeah - they got some pork - which was later vetoed out by Blago. I bitched about it loudly when it happened.
Please remind me: On what principles were they standing when they traded their votes for a budget in exchange for promises of pork?
I supported Brady as did most of the republicans in Champaign county.
And Brady is a great example - he voted for last year's budget, IIRC.
Where's the leadership? What is he campaigning on besides being anti-Blago?
Shocker statement from run4cvrlib, who turns this onto Blago instead of figuring out why his party sucks.
Blago has sucked as governor, that's no secret to most people. However, he was apparently good enough to beat the Republicans even with a semi-viable Green candidate in the race because they couldn't get their shit together. You would think that the ILGOP could've capitalized on a golden opportunity to take at least one statewide office, but you should never underestimate their ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
I love this comment - our state's politics are the mirror image of our federal politics. Replace Blago with Bush, and switch the R's and D's, and you get the standard commentary on the presidency for the last 7 years. If this doesn't show how messed up the two-party system is, I don't know what will.
Gordy who did you support?
Arvid as I have said you have no idea what I do or don't do in politics and who I support as usual your comments are another cheap shot. You must have a real deep understanding of politics if you think the last few elections were a golden opportunity for republicans.
Arvid as I have said you have no idea what I do or don't do in politics and who I support as usual your comments are another cheap shot. You must have a real deep understanding of politics if you think the last few elections were a golden opportunity for republicans.
I admit to taking one cheap shot, yes, but it only hurts because it's true. You'd rather talk about how much Blago sucks rather than how your own party sucks and can't appeal to voters outside of the usual "I hate everything remotely liberal" crowd.
This last statewide election *was* a golden opportunity for Republicans, and they blew it with Topinka and asshattery. The fact that the Rich Whitney brought in something like 10-12% of the vote from people who would have either stayed home or voted for the Democratic candidate and the ILGOP *still* couldn't pull in the win says they blew it big time. It doesn't take a "deep understanding" of politics to see that there was the perfect storm of an inept, disliked incumbent combined with a strong third party candidate on the same side of the left-right divide as the aforementioned inept, disliked incumbent, and rather than capitalize on those weaknesses and take advantage of the divide between moderate and liberal voters, they chose to suck.
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"Another Anon with a worthless opinion" - Run4cvrlib on 2/2/08
"I guess I have little tolerance for people who just attack people just to do it and give no justification." - Run4cvrlib on 2/2/08
"Gordy who did you support?"
Pretty sure I supported Brady in the Primary and Topinka in the General. Why?
"You must have a real deep understanding of politics if you think the last few elections were a golden opportunity for republicans."
The 2004 and 2006 elections were great opportunities for Illinois Republicans. We squandered them with bad candidates, a lack of principles, and no message.
Brady is certainly not very exciting. He is a dishwater moderate. Ho-hum.
Ray LaHood is So Yesterday. Who else is running?
Gordy who did you support?"Pretty sure I supported Brady in the Primary and Topinka in the General. Why?"You must have a real deep understanding of politics if you think the last few elections were a golden opportunity for republicans."The 2004 and 2006 elections were great opportunities for Illinois Republicans. We squandered them with bad candidates, a lack of principles, and no message. Of course I knew who you supported because we discussed it. I think we supported who would have been the best candidate to change the Republican Party and I said that during the election and on this website (as did people in 3 counties around here). You maybe right the republicans as a whole squandered that opportunity when they made Topinka our nominee. Really it maybe true about some in the party but it's not true about me as I said and you are addressing me directly so as usual your facts are wrong. As far as Blago is concerned I think you should clean up your own back yard before you start trying to complain about ours. He has got to be the worst governor we have ever had and that comes from the democrats I know.
"You maybe right the republicans as a whole squandered that opportunity when they made Topinka our nominee. Really it maybe true about some in the party but it's not true about me as I said and you are addressing me directly so as usual your facts are wrong."
I don't think anyone was talking about you (singularly) squandering great opportunities for the GOP. We were talking about all of us Republicans collectively wasting opportunities.
Between IP and Arvid being twin perspective brothers and that confusing Run, and IP as a thoughtful conservative using the word "activist" to refer to conservative activists rather than joining the reactionary "activists are the problem" chorus, this was the best thread ever.
"Between IP and Arvid being twin perspective brothers and that confusing Run, and IP as a thoughtful conservative using the word "activist" to refer to conservative activists rather than joining the reactionary "activists are the problem" chorus, this was the best thread ever."
Activists are never the problem. What's that Margaret Mead quote? Something like "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed people can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."?
The only problem is that Democratic activists have been kicking our tail statewide (and to a lesser degree locally) since 2000 or so. And yet our state GOP leaders keep trying the same strategies that haven't worked for eight years.
I'm still astonished that anyone thinks Sen. Bill Brady (who is a great person) is a credible candidate for Governor in 2010 when he voted for Blagojevich's budget just a few short months ago - a budget that everyone knew was an unbalanced pork-laden disaster. Most of our area and state GOP legislators voted for it as well.
Where in the world is the leadership? The principles? The message? The messenger?
I agree 100%, and there's no reason that activism should be monopolized by the left. I'm just used to people casting right-wing activists, even those doing the devil's work like Phyllis Schafly as "concerned citizens" and using the term "activist" as a way to marginalize progressive community organizing.
I appreciate your perspective on the issue. I've always felt their were people who could do conservatism thoughtfully and well, but I haven't had the fortune to meet too many.
Incidentally, if you would like to see a story on one of the students I have been nurturing, who also happens to be conservative, you could look here:
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080318/young-republicans-a-proud-minority.htm
It's not a coincidence that he was chosen by the national media. I was sad that they didn't choose any of his equals in terms of political activism on the other side of the aisle, who get little press. But I was elated to see his story published.
"Incidentally, if you would like to see a story on one of the students I have been nurturing, who also happens to be conservative, you could look here:
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080318/young-republicans-a-proud-minority.htm"
Good article. Thanks for sharing.
I reviewed Topinka's numbers after the election. She did fine here in Champaign and Sangamon Counties. She got killed by the black vote in Chicago. It was like Romney in Utah, something like 95 to 5%. The number that really stuck out was women. She got killed. The reason for this was that everyone knew that Blago had some very serious, shall we say, "issues", (and no one has accused him of a crime just yet but it's probably coming). He had about 50 million in the bank to spend and she had about 6. His numbers could not go any lower, so he spent all his money showing her dancing with Ryan. It was not that she was a bad candidate, she got overwhelmed by the money. Being a FOJ I got into it one day with her chief of staff about putting out something positive to vote for- I asked her chief of staff whether the theme of her commercials was that Blago was more corrupt than she was. Basically she did not have the money to educate the ignorant masses. But people that knew Blago, did vote for her. The power of advertising I guess.
If you recall, she was the Chairman during the time of Allen Keyes when the so called conservative wing of the party threw out Jack Ryan over nothing. She got blamed for that by the left wing of the party. The right wing of the party blamed her for Keyes. Then there was Oberwies. What a piece of work he is.
The problem with our party is that we are looking for purity on some issue we identify with. We will never get that.
"It was not that she was a bad candidate, she got overwhelmed by the money."
I disagree. If she were a good candidate, she would have raised enough money to compete - the most important job of any good, effective campaign. It wouldn't have taken $50 million - a third of that would have been plenty with an effective message. Unfortunately, she had neither the money nor the message.
"Basically she did not have the money to educate the ignorant masses."
I don't even know how to respond to this. This is a shocking lack of willingness to assign responsibility to the candidate and campaign.
"The problem with our party is that we are looking for purity on some issue we identify with. We will never get that. "
I know of very, very few Republicans in Illinos who are looking for ideological purity. That has been a nice excuse for our electoral failures for the past eight years, but other than a handful of very loud people who have never come close to winning an election, this is a myth.
"Shocker statement from run4cvrlib" just one of the earlier comments of Arvid's if you read back though the comments you will find others. You are right and as I kept saying I don't think anyone controls the voters, however the party sure wanted Topinka.
"If you recall, she was the Chairman during the time of Allen Keyes when the so called conservative wing of the party threw out Jack Ryan over nothing. She got blamed for that by the left wing of the party. The right wing of the party blamed her for Keyes. Then there was Oberwies. What a piece of work he is."
Rehashing the 2006 Republican primary is about as useful as rehashing the 2000 general election. Topinka screwed up. Keyes screwed up. Ryan screwed up. Oberweis screwed up. They all lost, and no amount of arguing Topinka ought to have won helps her or anyone else at this point.
Really it maybe true about some in the party but it's not true about me as I said and you are addressing me directly so as usual your facts are wrong. As far as Blago is concerned I think you should clean up your own back yard before you start trying to complain about ours.
Blago isn't in my backyard. My backyard garnered 12% of the popular vote. It doesn't need cleaning, it needs better organization and marketing. I'm not complaining about your backyard, rather, I'm enjoying the mess that exists in it. Please, keep it up. Keep being the "Party of Not-Rod"
"Shocker statement from run4cvrlib" just one of the earlier comments of Arvid's if you read back though the comments you will find others. You are right and as I kept saying I don't think anyone controls the voters, however the party sure wanted Topinka.
Well, it's a well-deserved snide comment that proved my point exactly. It's always easier to look at what's wrong with the other guy than to take a critical analysis of what may have been wrong with your side, and make the changes necessary. For a party that advocates personal responsibility, there is a whole lot of blame-everybody-else-for-our-failures coming from your camp.
Arvid the fool who thinks I run the state party.
Again, you'd rather attack the messenger instead of actually discuss what needs to be done to fix your train wreck of a state party.
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"Another Anon with a worthless opinion" - Run4cvrlib on 2/2/08
"I guess I have little tolerance for people who just attack people just to do it and give no justification." - Run4cvrlib on 2/2/08
"For a party that advocates personal responsibility, there is a whole lot of blame-everybody-else-for-our-failures coming from your camp."
Yes. I'm still steaming about the "ignorant masses didn't support my candidate" remark from earlier.
Incidentally, if you would like to see a story on one of the students I have been nurturing, who also happens to be conservative, you could look here:
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080318/young-republicans-a-proud-minority.htm
It's not a coincidence that he was chosen by the national media. I was sad that they didn't choose any of his equals in terms of political activism on the other side of the aisle, who get little press. But I was elated to see his story published.
Thank you so much Xian. I'm glad to see black conservatives featured. It seems like they want to paint every black as democrat - lock step with whatever they say. It's good that people are noticing that some of us black folks arent walking lock step with the dems. However, we know that it's close to 90% of blacks that claim to be democrat. More and more are claiming to be independent but they truly aren't. And then there are those of us who are laughed at during family reunions and being a chicken voting for COL Sanders. Oh well, I'm glad one of your students were featured. Hopefully they will feature others. You always seem to have some insighhtful things to say and I'm sure your students will be just as insightful.
Republicans: So who do you want to have the Republican National Committeeman's job and why? I'm serious about this. I personally don't know anyone that has statewide appeal to our party so who do you suggest? Since this thread is about LaHood trying for the job, if you don't like him doing it then who? Just curious.
I agee with Dan F to a point - no use of rescrambling the past unless it's to learn how to not do it again. Blaiming others for our own faults isn't productive and won't get the job done.
In regards to elections, since there's been no message put forth in a clear concise manner, what message would you put out there. How would you go about it? Because one thing I've learned working where I work, you must get your message out there. This takes time ane effort by more than one person - it must be a unified message that people can "latch" on to. While I know most people do not like him, Newt Gingrich had the idea of unifying the message and you all know what happened in 1994. The same I thing needs to happen now. We as republicans must decide what our message will be and make it a unifying message that we can all promote. (I'm not always the best in writing but I hope everyone understands what I'm writing).
I'd like LaHood to be our next RNC.
My suggested message: Republicans trust you to control your own life, and make your own decisions. We'll help you with tools if you want them, and assistance if you really need it, but other than that we're going to get the government out of your way, off your back and out of your pocket.
Unfortunately, that message would never work, because in Illinois, the Republicans don't trust people to control their own life and make their own decisions. They're just as in favor of overregulation as the Democrats are.
Gordy, I just love your statements about campaign cash. Are you serious when you suggest that Topinka could raise 16 m . Are you serious when you think that 16m would defeat a sitting governor with 50m in the bank? You have been involved ini politics, so I think you know the score. Try this out.
Federal legislation requires all road work to be done by union folks. Union folks say that you can use your own crew if you give massive donations to the guy we support. If you don't give massive donations, we will make sure you do not get any contracts because (a) you will not get the bid, and (b) if you do get the bid you will have to use first in and first out at the hall, not your own crew. Gordy-this is how it works. Now how would one who did not play that game, ever raise enough money to offset something like that. You must be dreaming.
"Are you serious when you suggest that Topinka could raise 16 m ."
Yes. Why wouldn't I be?
"Are you serious when you think that 16m would defeat a sitting governor with 50m in the bank?"
Yes. Why wouldn't I be? He was/is an extraordinarily flawed candidate, very vulnerable to being beaten by the right candidate with the right message and enough resources.
"You must be dreaming."
If Topinka's campaign thought that raising $6 million was all that was possible or all that was needed, then she never should have run, and should have allowed someone else who doesn't artificially limit their own fundraising based on some flawed notion of what is possible.
Dan Rutherford, an unknown downstate candidate running against an extraordinarily popular incumbent in a down-ticket race raised over $1 million. Are you saying that the gubernatorial campaign of sitting state treasurer, well-known and from the Chicagoland area, was somehow convinced that $6 million was the upper limit of her fundraising? That nothing more was possible?
If so, that's an extraordinarily negative attitude, and probably was a large factor in why her campaign raised so little - because it was convinced any more was impossible. Absurdly low expectations can be very limiting.
As someone who supported Topinka, I also must respectfully ask, given your comment here and the other above about the "ignorant masses": Does Topinka's campaign bear any responsibility for the lack of resources and message and ability to win votes statewide, or was her defeat due to stupid voters and a crooked opponent?
I blame Gidwitz, Brady, and Oberweis for what Topinka said about the Cubs.
Topinka was a horrible dreadful candidate for governor and almost a unlimited supply of resources wouldn't fix that.
Gordy is correct in saying that we Republicans need to focus on the message, then slate the candidates that credibly personify the message.
I'd like LaHood to be our next RNC.
I have met Ray LaHood. Isn't there ANYBODY ELSE? Geez.
It's true that Blago had a lot more money than Topinka, and the Rezko trial has shed some light about where some of Blago's money came from.
"It's true that Blago had a lot more money than Topinka, and the Rezko trial has shed some light about where some of Blago's money came from."
Yes - but everybody knew prior to the 2006 election that Blago's fundraising was dirty. Nothing in the Rezko trial should be a surprise to anyone, nor should it be an excuse for why a supposedly strong candidate for Governor could only raise $6 million.
It seems like they want to paint every black as democrat - lock step with whatever they say.
Well, this is certainly coming from both sides of the aisle--my progressive students are not in any way "lock step" with democrats, although the right would like to ignore them or paint them in this way.
The Democratic Party does not speak to the vast majority of my student population, but it's not because they are to the right of the party. Most of my strongest students despise the democratic party because it is only slightly less out-of-touch with their values than the Republican Party.
"Most of my strongest students despise the democratic party because it is only slightly less out-of-touch with their values than the Republican Party."
You must be teaching them to think. ;-)
The Democratic Party does not speak to the vast majority of my student population, but it's not because they are to the right of the party. Most of my strongest students despise the democratic party because it is only slightly less out-of-touch with their values than the Republican Party.
How do they feel about the Greens, just out of curiosity?