It really isn't the state Party's role to put up candidates. In fact, GOP Party Bylaws prohibit - or are at least supposed to prohibit - the Party from being active in a race prior to a Primary. That would include "vetting" or promoting a candidate in any state House or Senate district. That's a tricky point. Some get frustrated that the state/county parties don't vet candidates. Praise God that they DON'T! The problem is, there is no difference between "vetting" and the Party deciding who gets to run/win.

As for races for the state House or Senate where there was no challenger, it would be up to an R who lives in a heavily D district to decide to run. It's generally easy for such a person to go through Assembly when no one else is willing to give it a try. Such candidates would rarely have a Primary contest, so it's all about the General Election in November. One such candidate, Jeffery Washington, ran in HD8 against incumbent state Representative Beth McCann. Mr. Washington raised $4,551 through October 22. He had spent $3,490. There is 9% Republican voter registration in the district. Mr. Washington received 14.29% of the vote in a two-way race. McCann received the other 85.71% of the vote.

Mr. Washington worked hard for that 14.29%, yet that effort did not force McCann to work harder or spend more money. I'm grateful for Jeffery's effort, he's a gifted and talented man. Such people who are willing to devote so much time over a sixth month period, to ask anyone and everyone he knows for money, to raise and spend money in an effort that has no hope of winning… that's rare to find. Again, it really isn't a matter of a Party organization putting someone forth to do such work. It's up to an individual who lives in that district to decide that such an effort is what he/she wants to go do.

Data wise, HD8 is the "safest" Democrat state House seat. 14.29% there is good for a Republican. Over in Adams County, HD30, Republicans caught the Democrats off guard. Republican JoAnn Windholz beat Democrat incumbent Jenise May (50.29% to 49.71%) for one of the three Republican pick-up seats in the state House. Nobody was really looking at that race, but a group of Republicans in that community found their candidate, went out and worked hard, and won… in a district that is no where near as "D" as is HD8.