How to surf a red wave
Zeldin’s 2024 game plan for GOP
THE “red wave” in 2022 never arrived nationally, but it did flood the Empire State, the likes of which hasn’t been seen in decades. Through a deeply committed effort to more enthusiastically engage cities and suburbs, we were able to flip traditionally Democratic voters, drive messaging, and assemble the down ballot success needed to change control of the House of Representatives.
Grassroots Republicans across America are ready to taste victory once again, but we must shake the strategies that have cost us time and again.
Way of the future
A red wave will never arrive based solely on what Republicans are against. To generate the next level of enthusiasm and momentum, Republicans need to do a great job articulating what we stand for. Voters need to much better understand the safer, freer, and more prosperous future they will get by electing a Republican.
Many Republicans wonder why Democrats are still voting for Democratic candidates if the policies of the Democratic Party are harming them so much. The answer shouldn’t be any great mystery. It’s a situation of a devil you know being better than the devil you don’t. Many people voting Democrat are unhappy with the Democratic Party, but believe the Republican Party is worse.
Instead of Republicans making some incredibly bad assumption that these voters will just eventually come around on their own, Republican candidates and campaigns need to instead take the initiative of going directly to these Democrat voters and earning their support.
To reach minority voters, Republicans have a huge opportunity to deepen inroads with various communities. Democrat policies in our once-great big cities have created a major crime crisis, skyrocketed the cost of living, eroded our educational systems, and forced millions to flee to states like Florida, Texas, Tennessee and the Carolinas.
These are the same voters the Democratic Party has taken for granted and ignored. Minority communities across the United States also want safe streets, economic prosperity, and a quality education for their children. Republicans are on the right side of these top issues, but we must start showing up more frequently in these communities and passionately communicating our ideas directly.
On the campaign trail, I relentlessly went into Democrat strongholds in New York City, speaking to countless Asian Americans who want to go to work without having to hold onto the guardrails on a subway platform in fear of being pushed in front of an oncoming car.
Campaign in blue terrain
I spoke to single black mothers who had to bury their children thanks to policies that protect criminals over law-abiding citizens. I spoke to Jewish Americans who want to combat anti-Semitism and stop the attacks on their children’s education, along with Hispanics who want school choice and to stop the influx of fentanyl which has ravaged families across the United States.
Even though I knew I was certain to lose Manhattan, The Bronx, and many other communities within the city, I still showed up repeatedly. The same committed approach should also apply to Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and other big cities across the country where residents are begging for change.
For this reason, I am taking matters into my own hands, and launched the Leadership America Needs PAC. Through this political action committee, I will be taking the lessons learned from last year’s elections in New York, applying them nationally, and working to promote strong leaders who will boldly confront the challenges of the future. We will support Republican candidates for elected office committed to advancing my efforts to grow the diverse coalition of first-time Republican voters we built in the 2022 cycle.
The Republican Party must also better support candidates seeking office from, and help candidates message to, the Jewish, Asian, Hispanic, African American and other minority communities. This will be a central focus of my new initiative.
In addition to engaging minority communities, Republicans in 2024 must work to develop messaging that will better resonate with Gen Z and millennial voters, which has become one of the largest Democrat voting blocs. We need to generate enthusiasm with younger voters in ways that will translate into votes at the ballot box.
Shore up youth brigade
In my campaign for governor, we built a base of energetic volunteers, many of them still teenagers, who each bought into our mission and did everything in their power to inspire positive change. Republicans across the nation can do so as well with more effective messaging to these voters, while maximizing outreach through developing and promoting future candidates committed to our ideals.
Creating support among these younger voters is a place where Republicans have greatly struggled in recent elections, but we must tap into this emerging electorate if we want to win in the long run.
We must do everything in our power to save our country, but this will only happen if we are taking far more steps to deliver the Leadership America Needs.