After the last presidential election, the GOP realized that it had a problem with people of color. And according to Bill Calhoun, chairman of the Texas Federation for Republican Outreach (TFRO), the party is now making a concerted effort to reach out to minority voters.
"The last election taught the GOP that inclusiveness was an objective that would need to get started," Calhoun said. "Mitt Romney got less African-American voters than George W. Bush. Clearly we were going in the wrong direction."
Recognizing that they have a problem, Republican National Committee Chair Reince Preibus embarked on an ambitious outreach plan, a plan laid out in a document called the Growth and Opportunities Project (GOP).
According to Calhoun, the plan is being implemented on a statewide level.
"Recommendations are being looked at the state level," he said. "A plan is being put in place to reach out to conservative voters of color."
“The plan will only work if the (state chairs) support it," he said, "And in Texas, the leadership supports the plan."
One of the keys to attracting more voters of color is having more candidates of color, said Calhoun. "Voters will support the party when they have candidates who look like them.”
However, he stated that the Democratic Party will harshly criticize Republican candidates of color.
Calhoun said he doesn't think the GOP has a problem with people of color, but he believes their image is colored by the biased media. He said the media has done a great job of painting the GOP in a negative light.
"If you have a steady stream of negative information, you begin to believe it," he said. He added that the media was so anti-Republican because it was full of Democrats.
"The GOP was formed to get African-Americans the right to vote and citizenship," Calhoun said. "The GOP has a longer record of helping people of color than the Democratic Party."
Calhoun added the nation's changing demographics mean the Republican Party has to win more minority voters if it wants to be competitive in national elections.
"If we don't do that, then we will not win elections in the future," Calhoun said.
For more information about the Texas Federation for Republican Outreach go to www.txfro.org.