Hesse says many county Republican organizations 'are in shambles'

UPDATED 11:25 A.M. 11/14/2008  

Former Colorado Republican Party Executive Director Mike Hesse said Wednesday that a lot of GOP county party organizations are in bad shape owing to inadequate recruitment and training of county chairs.

Hesse said he witnessed this while working as manager for 5th Congressional District GOP candidate Bentley Rayburn's campaign earlier this year.

"I believe very strongly, witnessing, working with Bentley's campaign, (that) a lot of our county party organizations are in shambles," Hesse said. "I don't think we've trained a lot of the county chairmen. And again, it's hard to find folks to run. But those that they have, some of them are clearly not well-trained or doing the job."

Part of the blame of not fulfilling this "important function of the state party," lies with Colorado Republican Party Chair Dick Wadhams, he said.

"(Wadhams) is brilliant on running campaigns; he's very good with the media," Hesse said. "That is not always the characteristics that are necessary for the party. Running the party and running a campaign are very different tactically. With the party, you've got to bring everybody in, a lot of organizational things."

Wadhams responded that he "would beg to differ" with Hesse's comments and said that he assumed Hesse was only referring to the six counties within the 5th Congressional District.

"I think we had outstanding county chairs in each one of those counties, and I am disturbed that such a cheap shot would be taken against some very dedicated Republican leaders in those counties," Wadhams said. "And for a guy who ran a campaign that finished third in the primary, I think that's an interesting observation."

Hesse also said that if Wadhams runs for re-election, he should pledge to never again run a political campaign while remaining as head of the state Republican Party.

"If he does this again, I think he needs to make a commitment that he will only wear one hat," he said.

"I don't take orders from Mike Hesse," Wadhams responded.