Students gathered in Lauinger Library on Wednesday evening for a lecture by Maria Cino, the Republican National Committee deputy chairwoman, on the recent gains of the Republican Party and the challenges it faces as the upcoming election race intensifies.

Cino, a Buffalo, N.Y. native and the third highest-ranking official of the RNC, noted how her job never loses its excitement because of her responsibility of building the GOP campaign on a regular basis.

“My job in overseeing the National Committee is to ramp up the party as we get into the election,” she said.

As the Republicans gear up for the upcoming election year, Cino said that in the past couple of years the nation was evenly divided in terms of the presidential elections.

“If you look at the nation, especially in the 2000 election, you can see that there is only 2 to 4 percent of the population that is not aligned with a particular party,” she said. “People have solidified as either a Republican or a Democrat.”

Cino went on to explain the improvements that the Republican Party has made over the past eight years.

“We’ve made significant gains in terms of overall voters, key issues and key voter groups,” she said, noting how GOP achievements were shadowed by the Florida recount in the 2000 election.

The Republicans also gained 7 percent in the overall presidential vote from the 1996 election to the 2000 election.

Additionally, after the 2000 election, the Republicans gained control of both chambers of Congress for the first time since 1934 and added to those gains in 2002.

“We continued to make serious gains in the gubernatorial elections of 2003,” Cino said, alluding to the California, Kentucky and Mississippi elections.

As the 2004 elections approach, Cino said that the presidential race would come down to two main issues – the economy and the war on terror.

“The country, however, is becoming conservative in terms of economic issues, based on a changing economy,” she said.

Although the Republicans have control of the House and the Senate at this point, a number of close gubernatorial and senatorial races are up for grabs. “Who will be elected comes down to the power of incumbency, money and the free press,” she said.

One of the closely contested Senate races includes Alaska’s, where Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski (CAS ’80) is running for re-election. “She is a vulnerable incumbent, but a great senator who right now is facing a bad set of circumstances,” Cino said.

But Cino predicts only small changes for the Republicans. “We as a party are still most likely in good shape, even if we lose some seats and win some others,” she said.

Cino seems confident that the GOP will maintain a majority in the Congress and said that the committee will start the 2004 election cycle with several key resources, citing growing grassroots organizations, aggressive voter registration, increased coalition activity and a growing donor base.

“We are also doing a good job of pursuing minority groups, trying to create a more inclusive voter base,” she said.

Cino said that the RNC would continue to fight to win over the currently small minority of voters who continue to be politically moderate. She predicts no major changes in the Senate and a GOP control of the House, mainly because of redistricting policies.

“Changes should be minimal, as the current changing economy will cause people to be socially and fiscally conservative,” she said.

Cino previously served the RNC as Deputy Chairman for Political and Congressional Relations during the 2000 election season. Before coming to the RNC, she was the National Political Director for Bush for President in Texas, and Chief Operating Officer of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

“I’ve had a wonderful career in government in politics, because I always was involved,” she said. “And I encourage all students to get involved as well.”

Many students, including members of the GU Republicans, found the lecture to be beneficial. “I am glad we have people like her to keep the Republican campaign going,” Csaba Rusznak (SFS’07) said. “She was very enthusiastic and convincing.”

GU College Republicans and Women for Politics sponsored the event.