WASHINGTON — The Republican Party unleashed a blistering self-assessment of its November election shellacking yesterday and called for cutting in half the number of presidential debates in 2016.
In a 98-page report, a party task force recommended 219 changes that include spending $10 million to reach out to minorities.
The committee will hire a chief technology officer, target the youth vote and support comprehensive immigration reform.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus pledged to take action to reverse what he said was the party’s perception as “narrow-minded, out of touch,” rich “stuffy old men.”
“There’s no one reason we lost,” Priebus told the National Press Club. “Our message was weak, our ground game was insufficient, we weren’t inclusive, we were behind in both digital and data, and our primary and debate process needed improvement.”
The Republican National Committee wants candidates to participate in debates it sanctions and wants a say in choosing the moderator, while also calling for an earlier party convention.
Losing Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney complained about the wounding primary process, noting that he was damaged before the general election campaigning even began.
Republican candidates participated in 20 debates during the campaign, up from the seven conducted in 1988.
“Debates are vital to the primary process, but they must respect candidates’ time and help the eventual nominee,” Priebus said.
As for reaching minority voters, Priebus vowed the GOP will “not write off any demographic community.”