GOP leaders tout policies as they mull NRCC changes

House Republicans shifted Thursday to talk publicly about policy initiatives in the wake of their disastrous special election loss in Mississippi. But behind the scenes, GOP officials were discussing politics — specifically whether to make changes at their campaign committee.

Republicans are struggling to find their footing as well as a clear strategy to energize their colleagues, attract voters, and avoid a November implosion that could result in the loss of more than 30 seats, the amount they lost in 2006.

{mosads}House GOP leaders spent Thursday trying to put the best spin on the disappointing defeat by publicly relaunching a legislative agenda they unveiled a day earlier complete with a new slogan: the “change America deserves.” Privately, however, GOP leaders were considering their options, as well as reaching out to possible replacements for National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole (Okla.).

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) has not shut down speculation about Cole, opting against saying Cole will complete the cycle as NRCC chairman.

Conference Chairman Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) and Vice Chairman Kay Granger (R-Texas) tried to shift the focus from the party’s third consecutive loss in a Republican-leaning congressional district by talking up their new agenda.

Granger said that Republicans have recognized the “changing nature” of American families and have crafted a platform designed to answer the kitchen table questions of, “Are my children safe at school, are they safe from gangs, are they safe from the Internet.”

Boehner and Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who joined Putnam and Granger in speaking with reporters following a conference meeting, said more agenda details would be rolled out in the coming weeks.

The leaders also tried to go on attack, criticizing Democrats for what Blunt described as doing “absolutely nothing about gas prices,” a refrain Republicans have regularly repeated in the last month.

House Republicans would be calling for a gas tax holiday, Blunt said, adding that he is “glad” that Democrats “saw our proposal for a suspension of purchases into the [Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR)] as a good idea.”

Democrats and Republicans in both chambers passed legislation that would put a stop to filling the SPR earlier this week, despite White House objections.

Behind closed doors, Republicans leaders were scrambling. Putnam sent a high-priority e-mail to GOP House members Thursday afternoon, urging them to quickly rally behind the new agenda.

“It is up to all of us, and all of you, to persuade the American people that we can fix a broken Washington and deliver the change they really deserve,” Putnam wrote.

But in a clear indication that Republicans are abandoning their strategy of trying to nationalize congressional elections, Putnam asked members to use only those new policy proposals that they know will resonate with their constituents.

“You should know that the policy prescriptions listed here are not exhaustive,” Putnam wrote. “Add what you like. Emphasize what resonates best in your district, There are 172 days until the election. There is no time to waste. It starts today.”

Speculation continued to swirl that some members of the leadership team want to remove Cole and install Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), a former NRCC chairman, as his replacement. One former senior GOP leadership aide close to the leadership team said there have been  "quiet conversations” with Davis about taking the NRCC chairmanship, and that GOP leaders believe he will do so if asked.

Finding an appropriate way to get rid of Cole, though, remains the primary obstacle, the source said.

“Leadership can’t fire Tom Cole,” the former staffer said. “If they could, yes, they would. It doesn't appear that the conference wants to self-initiate, but people at the leadership table think he needs to step down and he needs to step down soon.”

Thursday afternoon, the source said, leaders were trying to find a way to pressure Cole to make several changes at the party committee that he may not be able to stomach, such as firing staff and accepting new hires of the leaders’ choosing. Leaders want the change at the top to occur before the Memorial Day recess, sources said.

Another source, a House GOP campaign operative, was less optimistic that Davis would agree to sign on considering that he’s retiring. 

"Why would Davis want the position?" the consultant said. "I think he's already turned it down."

Cole previously has balked at staffing changes that Boehner wanted.

In a January interview with The Hill, Cole downplayed tension with Boehner but stressed that he does not like being told what to do at the NRCC: "I know this business better than anyone else…I am going to make the final call."

He also said, referring to himself, that "at the end of the day I know who is going to be held accountable for what goes on over here."

Asked about changes at the NRCC directly, Boehner did not close the door on the option of trying to remove Cole.

“There are a number of things that we’ve got to do but we’ve got to show Americans that we’re committed to delivering the kind of change they deserve and they want out of their government,” he said. “I’ve had conversations with Tom Cole about what’s going on at the NRCC. It’s an effort that is ongoing and will continue to be ongoing.”

Davis won’t indicate whether he’s talked to leaders about replacing Cole, but he isn’t exactly keeping quiet.

His 20-page memo describing the political atmosphere for Republicans as “the worst since Watergate” and warning that Republicans could lose another 25 seats in November has only fueled speculation that he may be tapped to take the NRCC helm if Cole resigns.

On Thursday Boehner said only that he thought the Davis memo was “well-done and insightful.”

Blunt declined to comment on whether conversations with Davis had occurred as he was heading to a meeting with Cole late Wednesday afternoon.

In the January interview, Cole praised Davis: "People on both sides of the aisle respect him as a legislator."