Republican chairman addresses the diversity factor

MINNEAPOLIS - A floor blanketed with white faces at the Republican National Convention doesn’t mean the GOP - or their presidential nominee - lack a universal message, argues State Republican Chairman Tom Wilson.

Coming off their convention in Denver last week, Democrats urged observers to note the contrast between their ethnically diverse party and the Republicans.

"When you have a quota system, it guarantees the result you saw in Denver," Wilson shot back. "Look, you have one million Republicans in New Jersey, and 52 New Jerseyans sitting on the floor, representing them. These 52 people are there day in and day out doing the hardcore party activism.

"Our hardcore party activists are predominantly middle class, white New Jersey," Wilson added.

Rather than focus on ethnic diversity, the state party chairman celebrated new membership in his party, noting how when he asked delegates to raise their hands in a show of how many were attending a national convention for the first time, more than half the people in the room shot up their hands.

"We have young leaders coming up like Bill Baroni, John Murphy and Aubrey Fenton," said Wilson.

He admits it’s hard to compete in those urban districts where Democrats dominate.

"You need ambassadors - people from those communities who reach out to people and tell them ‘We’re Republicans, we’re not bad people, we just don’t think government’s the answer. We think the answer is to unleash human potential,’" Wilson said. "There’s always got to be a safety net. The job we have is to say to the non-traditional Republican communities, ‘give us a chance and we’ll give you a choice.’"