It has taken some time for Copeland’s plan to emerge, but with each passing day the contours of his plan to rebuild the DEGOP as an actual political party capable of mounting statewide races comes into focus.
Part 1: Don’t run real candidates in races that the DEGOP is sure to lose. Why waste the resources or the goodwill? That means giving Chris Coons, John Carney and Matt Denn free passes. Allow the remnants of the teabags to blow off whatever little steam they have left under the banner of modern Republicanism, but don’t give them any money or any Vicmead parking passes.
Part 2: Run cheaper, Simpler down ticket campaigns, that have a shot. That means Ken Simpler vs Sean Barney or Chip Flowers. Simpler has a punchers chance against Flowers with all his baggage. So he is probably pulling for that outcome. If Barney takes out Flowers, it will be a visibility building year for Mr. Simpler. It also means not investing a lot in Tom Wagner (who will may even pull the rip cord on his golden parachute rather than have to face (probably) Mayrack).
Part 3: Patience. There is no way to rebuild the DEGOP brand while the DC Republicans keep working overtime to smear the brand with dog shit. Based on how he acquired his millions, Copeland has the luxury of a multigenerational perspective. He can keep paying the rent and keep the lights on while he avoids big mistakes and hopes for Mike Castle to come back into style.
Who knows? If the teabags finally get their “REAL CONSERVATIVE” Presidential nominee, they can finally have the all or nothing apocalyptic battle they’ve been longing for. Copeland will be ready to pick through the splinters and start rebuilding the sober, business oriented republican party that his father ( a pro-family planning, pro-rational thought, and anti-nonsense Republican) could be proud of.