My Principles for OCREC: Orange County First, Accountability and Action
A framework for achieving our County Constitution Objectives and making Orange County Republican Territory
As a member of the Orange County Republican Executive Committee (OCREC) I support our organization’s objectives as listed in the OCREC Constitution:
a) Election to office of qualified Republican persons
b) Foster loyalty to the Republican Party
c) Promote an informed election (sic electorate) through political education
d) Increase Republican registration
e) Seek qualified Republicans to become candidates for local, county, state and federal offices
f) Promote the election of all Republican candidates in the General Election
g) In general to uphold the principles of freedom, equality and justice on which the Republican Party and the government of this nation is founded, as set for the in the Constitution of the United States and the state of Florida.
I believe we have an opportunity in Orange County to build our organization to accomplish these seven objectives. I propose three principles for achieving our objectives:
I. Orange County First
II. Accountability
III. Action
Each principle is discussed below.
Orange County First
Let’s face it, Republicans in Orange County have an uphill battle. We are outnumbered heavily by Democrats. Worse yet, the percentage of No Party Affiliation (NPAs) voters is significant. Why have we been unable to convince these NPA voters that we are the better alternative? Are we their second (or worse) choice?
In the 2022 election cycle we gained seats for Republicans. We had some strong candidates. We were fortunate to have some favorable redistricting for some offices. In some races we had no Republican candidates. In our county government conservative office holders and candidates are grossly outnumbered.
I believe we should organize our people and resources around a precinct centric model. These precincts can be logically grouped together by County Commission districts or State House districts. This will enable us to focus on elections for each office. We can work from our strengths and start to address our weaknesses.
My inspiration for this approach comes from the work of Dan Schultz at precinctstrategy.com. If you have not read How To Get Into The Real Ball Game Of Politics Where You Live To Help President Donald J. Trump Make America Great Again, then I strongly suggest that you do.
Accountability
Are we keeping our promises? Do we take ownership of our problems? As committeemen and women we are the Republican Party in our neighborhoods. You should be able to walk your neighborhood with your head held high knowing you are doing all that you can for it.
I believe every committeeman/woman should take seriously to responsibility of delivering the Republican vote in their precinct.
Our leaders should take this responsibility seriously also and organize OCREC to support this. We should offer resources, training, mentorship and leadership that develops a powerful and effective organization. We should not leave it to someone else or ignore it.
We are fortunate in our county to have members who are experienced in this model of organization. We have long-time members who can share their expertise and develop our growing team. Let’s make sure we are tapping into these resources instead of forcing them to the sidelines.
We should also hold our elected officials accountable by clearly communicating to them and the public our positions on important issues. OCREC should regularly discuss and debate important issues and pending legislation. Our body should pass and publish resolutions clearly stating our positions.
These resolutions should serve as a guide to those elected and those seeking election. For those elected, they should serve as the metric to which they are measured. They should also serve as clear statements to voters about where we stand and why we are the best choice.
We are also accountable to uphold Florida law and the rules of our organization. Political parties, including our party, are granted responsibilities and powers through the Florida state laws. These are not granted to other organizations, such as Republican clubs. We are obligated to follow the law and subsequent rules including the RPOF Constitution, our County Constitution, and Roberts Rules of Order. The integrity of OCREC demands it. These are not optional, or only applied when convenient. The rules protect us all.
In Orange County we are in no position to tell other counties what to do – they are accountable for their territories. We do have mutual interests and should work together where it makes sense. Shared legislative districts are a common interest and we should cooperate with our neighbors. We should also share information when possible.
Let’s advocate for and solve Orange County problems first.
Action
Are we able to take action? If we truly believe we should put Orange County first and we own it, then the answer should always be yes. Inaction is easy when one is not accountable. Inaction leads to decline and atrophy.
I believe we can grow and mobilize our OCREC. This is essential for a grass roots precinct oriented organization. We need to offer more opportunities for Republicans to get involved.
This year we were able to attract nearly 400 Poll Watchers. Many of these people have never been involved with OCREC. Many of these Poll Watchers could be future OCREC members, and possibly our future leaders. All they needed was an opportunity to get involved while supported by a well-organized operation. I do not consider sitting through the reading of newsletter material at a meeting as taking action.
As leaders we need to open up opportunities for action and allow our members to bring their ideas forward.
We should focus on our seven objectives and turn the county red. Our opposition is relentless – we need to keep moving forward.
What do you think?
I want to hear from you. Please leave a comment, email me directly (kevkel@kevkel.com) or call me at 508-330-9663. You can also read more of my work on my substack at: kevkel.substack.com.
I want to be part of the solution.
My intention is to run for OCREC Secretary in this December’s election. If you are qualified, I am asking for your vote. If you can’t vote for me, I’d still like to hear from you.