The Process of Democracy in Delaware’s Republican Party: An Interview with US Senatorial Candidate Mike Protack

Because of certain questions raised on the blogosphere about the process of democracy within the Delaware Republican Party, I contacted Mr. Protack and asked if he would agree to an interview.  He agreed.  Immediately below is a portion of my e-mail to him and my questions.  Below that is Mr. Protack’s response. He asked me if I would be wiling to post his “statement” and answers as written.  I agreed.

 

My E-mail and Questions

 

You can take as much time as you want.  I know that you are in the midst of a campaigning against Ting and would like to make the case about why you are the preferable candidate, but as you’ll notice below, my questions are mostly about political process and political accessibility to party control by Delaware Republicans.  So please keep the campaign issues to a minimum if possible.  But don’t avoid them when they are relevant. 

 

1. Some people like me believe that political parties truly committed to democracy would strive to provide their party membership with as many candidates as possible, including candidates for primary races.  Options increase democracy whereas races without primaries tend to produce candidates anointed by the party’s leadership which reflect their purposes.  Yet according to some members of the Delaware Republican Party, the party’s leadership discourages candidates to run in races which might result in a primary race.  Do you agree with that perception of the Delaware Party leadership?  If so, why do you believe that the party leadership is opposed to maximizing the democratic process within the party by discouraging multiple candidates to run for the same office? 

 

2. One of the criticisms of you is that you run in statewide races instead of running for, say, a district level seat.  Why don’t you run for an office that isn’t at a statewide level?  And is this criticism made about you consistently applied to other statewide Republican candidates as well?  If not, why not?

 

3. According to a pervasive rumor, at least once reported as a fact, in 2004 you offered to high-ranking people in the Delaware Republican Party not to primary against Bill Swain Lee if you were made Chairman (or Vice Chairman, the versions differ) of the Delaware Republican Party.  Did you ever offer such a deal to anyone in the party or did anyone in the party approach you and propose such a deal?  If not, why do you believe this tale was invented about you?

 

4. What grade (“A” through “F”) would you give the Delaware Republican Party leadership on being responsive to the wishes and will of the rank and file of the party in Delaware? Why do you give them that grade?  What needs to be done to make the Delaware Republican Party leadership more responsive to the party’s leadership?

 

5. Some people believe that you have been treated shabbily by the Republican Party leadership in Delaware.  If so, why do you remain a Republican? 

Mike Protack’s Statement and Answers

 

Statement

 

    These questions are part of the political process but I sure wish we dedicated as much time on health care, education, jobs and retirement as we do on gossip and rumor. In 2006 there are real opportunities here for Republicans to offer something to voters and we should embrace that chance.

 

  First thing, why stay a Republican after getting as you call it "shabby treatment." I will admit when a College Republican student who has never made a mortgage payment, served a day in the military, taken a sick child to the hospital or planned a parent's funeral on Christmas Eve says I have no conservative credentials because I support "universal health care" I do hope for a friendlier more informed process but I don't lose a minute of sleep over it. For what it is worth, I was in DC today with a pro growth group who liked my health care plan because while it is universal in coverage it is  also universal in personal choice and personal responsibility plus it does away with Medicaid and Medicare as stand alone programs and will save jobs and cost less money than we spend now.

 

In the end I am responsible for about 100,000 lives a year as an airline Captain and I make Go No Go safety decisions everyday so small things like "shabby treatment" do not get me upset or irritated. I simply want Republicans to have a choice and to win.

 

Now for your questions.

 

1. A primary is where the party decides their nominee not the convention. The filing deadline for the Statewide offices is in the summer so well after the convention someone could file and run. Those who in recent memory who ran primary races are; Ronald Reagan ran against a sitting GOP President (Gerald Ford 1976), Mike Castle against Janet Rznewcki(1992) , Vance Phillips against Ray Clatworthy (1996), Bill Lee ran against John Burris (2000) and Charlie Copeland ran against sitting state senator Dallas Winslow (2002). Primary races are not inherently destructive because if they were the folks that ran them would be banished and they have not been nor should they be.

 

 The convention (which is . 02% of all Republicans statewide is an institution which  many of our legislators do not attend) and  in the last 14 years the convention and  the state committee dinner have not produced a winner in the general election on the Republican side while it has on the Democratic side. Most party leaders view a primary race as a loss of control and that control is most critical to the party leadership. For the most part it has proven more important to control how we lose than gambling on how to to win. In fact Dave Graham, the third candidate in the Governor race in 2004 had his filing fee paid for by party insiders in the hope it would dilute my primary vote. What a waste, wouldn't it have been nicer for Paul Pomeroy or Stacey Griggs to get that money?

 

  I will close this subject by saying if the process up to the convention was open there would never be a primary-ever. I had hoped for that in 2005/6. This year it was the ruling of the party chair that each region, district or club could open itself to all candidates or chose not to allow  particular candidates to speak or appear. In many, many cases restrictions were put on places I could speak or appear. I was told dozens of times there was no room on the agenda for me.The bottom line  now is we have a Senate candidate(Ting) who didn't file for the office until 17 April and did not file any FEC financial activity in the first quarter. A late race like this one is a true disservice to Republicans and Jan got his chance because Chris Bullock and Michele Rollins turned it down. 

 

I was in DC all day today with a Veterans Group and an anti tax group to help lay the foundation for a winning campaign. It is simply too late to start now. You can't wake up on Ground Hog Day, see your shadow and run for the US Senate. Things that pay dividends today often start with seeds planted from many months ago and the Delaware Republican Party is not in a position to do powerful things these days.

 

2. As for running statewide. I am doing what Bill Lee did, Ray Clatworthy did and now Jan Ting, not having held elective office before statewide office. To start a bit lower would be a thought but my state Senator and Representative are Republicans and while I have been asked to run against Debbie Hudson, I have no desire to do that. I was asked to run for state treasurer in 2002 and in 2006 and county exec in 2004.

 

3. State chairman? No, I never asked to be and never want to be. However, I was asked by two Bill Lee supporters to consider it in 2003 rather than run a race against Bill Lee. Again, don't focus on me in that job what about the occupant there now, that is more important.

 

 As for Vice Chair, after the 2004 convention I was asked by a supporter and friend to do something within the party because she saw a massive defeat coming our way in 2004 and she was right. We lost NCC Exec, NCC Council President, all 6 NCC new seats, three state Rep seats, we were out registered by the Dems two to one and there was no bright spots at all on election night.  She suggested the Vice Chair position. My first question-what does it do? I did call a few of the exec committee people to find out the who, what and where of the job. I never asked to be given the job but I did ask to find out the process for consideration and I was told  there  were 9/15 votes for me on the exec committee at that point. Then came the lunch with Mr. Stabler and Richard Forsten. Laird made it clear that he wanted to avoid a primary for Bill and he was a complete professional during the entire lunch. I respected his position then and I still do now. I was told after that lunch "no one would be willing to be responsible for me" as Vice Chair so the issue failed to come to a vote and I believe John continued for months as both Vice Chair and National Committee Man. Next spring I supported Phyllis Byrne when she sought the Vice Chair job and I still do.

 

4. I won't give a grade on anyone's party leadership because I don't have to, the voters have done that. We are failing miserably at the polls and that is a shame because a lot of dedicated Republicans have worked very hard for candidates. For instance, my wife and I did miles and miles of door knockers for Ray Clatworthy and President Bush in 2002 and 2004. We must and can do better.

 

   The reality is we haven't grasped that Delaware has changed in the last generation and we do not have a message for voters that is clear or believable and that is our fault and no one else's. Gov. Minner won by 19% in 2000, won comfortably in 2004 and she had very little "vision" then or now. You see, in the absence of a reason to vote differently, voter registration patterns prevail and that is not good for us as Republicans. We need to become a political party based on beliefs and actions not a party  based on social activities.

 

 I have been reaching out to Reagan Republicans like union members because roughly one out of every four to five votes in New Castle County come from a union household. Some Republicans say I am crazy to do that. I think what we have been doing in the past is crazy because it isn't working. One group we also risk losing is  veterans and that is an issue which will kill us this fall because Carper is a respected veteran. Here is the truth. I was told  in late January  by an associate of Jan's past anti war activities. I asked that person to notify the state chair, which he did. I then asked him not to say anything until this was verified and to wait for Jan's statement. Jan's activities were verified and they are more extensive than he has admitted in public. Within a week at the Newark region meeting he made a casual  admission that startled the other two veterans in the audience and their comment was "well he's going nowhere with me." We then waited to see what Veteran leaders thought and it was not good at all so we ran a professional poll that showed 86% of veterans would not vote for Jan. That fact means possibly 25,000 vets will bypass the GOP lever for Senate this year and it will trickle down to other races.

 

Again, these questions and answers I guess are important but I think health care, education, jobs and  retirement are what is on most people's minds so lets focus on those issues. If you want to know what will work on immigration read the Saturday Delaware Voice in the News Journal It has been well received and makes sense.