‘We Want to Earn Back Trust’

After going through the party's worst back-to-back electoral showing since the 1930s, Republican leaders are looking for answers. Republican National Committee chairman Robert (Mike) Duncan spoke to NEWSWEEK's Jessica Ramirez about what fellow party members say they want from the RNC, the increasingly competitive chairmanship race, and the future of the Grand Old Party. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: How did the Republican Party end up here?
Mike Duncan: I can't put a spin on it. We lost. We've lost the last two times, and the American people have sent us a message. Historically, we did have some real difficult political headwinds in this election. We had this third-term curse. Only once since World War II have the American people elected a party three consecutive terms in the White House. We have a war that is unpopular, even though many of us believe it's just. We have a horrible economy. So, we were in office and the [people] voted against us, but it's mood as opposed to philosophy. The polling we've done shows we're still a center-right country.

What were you thinking as you saw your party take these hits?
I was very disappointed, but I'm someone who's been involved in 10 presidential campaigns at different levels. I know, having gone through this after Carter was elected and Bill Clinton was elected, that there's a healing process that goes on, and we've already started our healing process.

Your Web site, Republican for a Reason  asks people for feedback on the GOP. What do you hope to learn?
We want the American people to tell us how we've disappointed them. Also, what we've done well. Essentially, we want to know how to earn back their trust.

What are they saying?
Some people think we need to change leadership. There are others who say we need a team approach and need to develop young leaders. Others look at it from an ideological standpoint and say, "Look, you've got to move toward the center." Or, "No, you've got to stick with the core principles." [At the RNC meeting in January] we'll share all of this information with the leaders of the House and Senate and the governors. That will help us in formulating how we go forward.

You've suggested that you may seek another term. What have you learned as chairman that would be helpful a second time around?
I know there's a difference between being chairman when you have the White House and when you don't. When you have the White House, there's one political leader of the party so the chairman's role is more technician and less spokesman. When you don't have the White House, the chairman has to bring people together to create several spokesmen and is out there leading the charge on new ideas and promoting [future] leaders. There are some things [that] don't change. You still have to raise the money, organize the states and build the best grass roots possible. Those are things I feel very comfortable with and know well.

If re-elected, how would you address the fissures between GOP traditionalists and reformers?
I think there is room for many different views in the party. I believe the debate we're having now is very healthy. People need to be able to present their views and others need to listen. I will encourage that.

Could the growing competition for the chairmanship create more division?
It doesn't cause division. You always have competition for this position when there isn't someone [from the party] in the White House. The same occurred in 1992 after we lost the presidency.

What about Democrats? Going forward, how will you compete, given some of their advantages in technology and fundraising?
I do think you learn something from the other side, and we are looking at the Obama campaign and making sure that we understand what went on there. But let me talk to you about our advantages. I had over 1.8 million donors, and we raised more than $317 million dollars, as of now. The average donation is about $77 a person. We raised a lot of that on the Internet. Now, is there stuff to learn? Sure. I personally look at this cycle as another example of 1960, when television was coming into play and people were learning how to use it in elections. Well, we're learning how to best use the Internet. It will be a large part of what we do moving forward and I think we have a lot of advantages in this area.

How do you envision the RNC's relationship with the Obama administration?
If he will govern the way he often campaigned then he will succeed. For example, if he really believes in more nuclear power and clean-coal technology then there will be Republican support for that. If he believes in a strong national defense, there will be Republican support for that. What concerns me is that some of his constituents will push him as far left as they can. If that happens, there are just certain issues that we're going to have to stand up for.