Reading the election tea leaves

Precursor to massive carnage, or fully expected minor setback in an off-year election?

In the wake of election results that weren’t exactly favorable for Republicans, that is the $64,000 question regarding the GOP’s fate.

It is critical to remember that the “inside baseball” crowd doesn’t decide elections. Instead, that honor goes to the Great American Middle – those people who have no idea who Mitch McConnell and Donna Brazile are, and have zero interest in hearing the pros and cons about budget reconciliation to pass controversial legislation.

In large part due to 24/7 news and exploding social media, there is an exponentially increased awareness among Americans that damn near everything in their lives is affected by Washington. As a result, people are paying closer attention than ever before, while simultaneously seeing their level of patience grow thin. That is why, over the last two decades, there have been unprecedented “wave” elections, where the majority party has been unceremoniously kicked to the curb (1994, 2006, 2008, 2010). The message is that, while the country remains rightof-center, people won’t tolerate stagnation and incompetence, and will continue to implement sea changes in Congress and the White House until things dramatically improve.

The prevailing headline from election day was that it was calamitous for Republicans, since the governorships of Virginia and New Jersey were won by Democrats. Wrong.

New Jersey is an overwhelmingly Democratic state, and Chris Christie’s election eight years ago was an aberration – the result of a scandalous prior administration. And neither was Virginia a surprise, as no Republican had won statewide in eight years.

Of much bigger significance are how races played out in traditionally Republican districts. As election day dawned, the GOP controlled 66 of 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates. By the time the polls closed, the carnage was obvious: 12 GOP incumbents lost, and three open seats flipped to Democrats.

And of course, Dems made unprecedented gains here in Delaware and Chester counties – including winning two Delco County Council seats for the first time in … forever, and sweeping the row offices.

Plain and simple, the Democrats outworked and out-hustled Republicans. They were hungrier, more motivated, and considerably more organized. Too many Republicans, especially in suburban areas, rested on their laurels and became lazy, allowing technology to supersede retail politicking.

Democrats made Donald Trump the issue – and it worked. The Democrats’ message was kept simple: To vote Republican is to vote for Trump.

As for Republicans, many are totally fed up with empty promises and party infighting. They are beyond irritated that virtually nothing has been accomplished in Washington over the last year – despite the GOP holding all the cards.

Repealing Obamacare was perhaps the most-promised Republican pledge in history, yet it remains completely intact. No border wall has been constructed. The Iran nuclear agreement has yet to be scrapped. America remains inextricably committed to keeping troops in the Middle East. North Korea’s bellicose leader – who has threatened nuclear war against America – has been met with bluster and non-action. Tax reform remains elusive, China seems to be getting a free pass, trade deals have not been revamped, immigration reform is nonexistent, and the travel bans remain – illegally – tied up in court, with the administration just rolling over to the judiciary. And that’s just for starters.

The question is whether Republican leaders, including the president, will finally enact the platform that got them elected, or if they’ll be content to play the blame game and convince themselves that Hillary, Obama and congressional Democrats are at fault.

The Republican Party stands at a crossroad. For it to prosper, it must articulate what it stands for, starting with an immediate nationwide media blitz. But above all, it must expand its base to include non-traditional constituencies, while not compromising what it means to be a proud Republican.

Never before has so much been possible, yet with so little results. If the Republican Party doesn’t wake up, pretty soon the Grand Old Party will be just that. Old.