Having been a lifelong Republican for over 30 years, and having participated since the last election cycle at the precinct committee officer level of Republican party politics I am gravely concerned that the Republican Party is soley interested in running candidates who have paid their dues, so to speak, instead of supporting/running the right candidate for the right moment running on the right issues/message at the right location, i.e candidates who can win races. Also, Republicans who embrace the platform and ideals of the party yet are supporters of Dr. Ron Paul are shunned. I am a duly elected party official who is shunned at my legislative district and county party level. Will the party open the doors of the well sequestered Big Tent and embrace its very own elected officials who support the party platform and Republican ideals to expand, unite and succeed in electing viable Republican candidates or will it continue its stranglehold on power, shrinking the party and leading to the very death of the party?