Thank you Mr. Estevez for participating in NHInsider.com’s 10 Questions feature.

NHI: What role do you see the Internet and New Media playing in the future of the NH GOP?

EE: Like it or not, we are living in interesting as well as difficult times. Therefore, we need to have the courage and competence to lead the GOP in the months and years ahead. The party needs to do a better job communicating using the new technology that is available.

I believe strongly that the party needs a person to work solely on communicating with the media and controlling the stories. This will make us a more organized and effective political force. The Democrats have a full-fledged communication operation and are equipped with some of the most advanced technology available. We need to catch up with the Democrats when it comes to technology and many other areas.

When we have the proper technology, it will be easier for us as a party to contact voters, media, and communicate our message more effectively.

NHI: To what do you attribute the recent trouncing Republicans saw at the ballots during the Mid-term and State elections this past November?

EE: Obviously, many citizens took out their frustration on GOP candidates because of the President and some of the administrations controversial policies, as well as various scandals in Washington. However, I believe that the New Hampshire GOP is also to blame for the recent defeat in the past election.

This is because the New Hampshire Republican party underestimated the power of the Democrats. Above all, there was no game plan in place due to lack of financial funding, winning issues, an organized grassroots effort, and above all good a communication strategy.

NHI: How do you propose the GOP gain back their majority status? Can it be done in one two-year cycle or will it take more than one election cycle to recover some of the lost voters?

EE: I am not running for chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party because I think that it will be easy. I think that this job is going to be a very difficult endeavor and that is why we need strong and effective leadership in this position. Our goal should be to win back the majority in Washington and in Concord.

We can achieve this task and we will with my "4 part plan to restoring the New Hampshire Republican Party."

First, we must rebuild our war chest with a massive fundraising effort. Second, we must improve our communication skills in order to more actively communicate our message. Third, we must find good candidates to run for office state wide. Fourth, we must give the help and support that is needed to all of our grassroots volunteers who are the backbone of our operation.

The Democrats have been very successful in organizing their grassroots efforts and we must prove that we can compete with them. To win back the majority will not be an easy effort. There will be many hardships and difficulties that will face us and our victory may not happen in only one cycle, but we will win back the majority once again because we will build a strong foundation for future success.

NHI: When you have a free weekend, where in NH is your favorite place to visit and why?

EE: I love all of the entire state New Hampshire. Wherever I go I am proud to call New Hampshire home.

However, I find myself most at peace when I have the time to walk the beach on the New Hampshire seacoast. It is truly a beautiful and relaxing experience.

NHI: What role do you envision the NH GOP playing in the upcoming 2008 Presidential primaries?

EE: The New Hampshire GOP will play a tremendous role in the 2008 Presidential primary. Time and time again New Hampshire has proven that when we make a statement the entire nation listens.

I think that in 1968 when an unknown Senator from the Midwest named Eugene McCarthy almost defeated the sitting President of the United States Lyndon Johnson, people began to respect the New Hampshire presidential primary even more because of the strong message that it sent to the nation.

Above all, our responsible voting sets precedent for the nation in regards to what should be expected from a candidate who seeks such a powerful and prestigious office.

As chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, one of my top priorities will be to preserve and protect New Hampshire's First in the Nation Presidential Primary status. We owe this not only to ourselves, but to future generations.

NHI: How do you propose getting new people involved with the party including getting them to run for various government offices?

EE: We must increase and improve our communication effort. If we can successfully communicate our message effectively we will be able to attract more people to join the party because we will prove that the Republican Party's platform is in the best interest of the state and nation.

As far as candidate recruitment is concerned, we must start this process early and it should be specifically targeted to find viable candidates to take on vulnerable democrats, and fill seats in all districts.

Part of this process is making sure that we have town chairs that are committed to keeping in close contact with the Field Director of the state party. Some areas of the state may not have enough population to form a committee, so we must combine their efforts into multi-town committees.

NHI: Why are you the most qualified candidate for the NH GOP Chair position?

EE: First of all, the other people in this race are very good and qualified candidates. They all have good things to say and I think that in their heart they want what is best for the Party.

However, I believe that I will bring a new sense of hope to the Party and bring new ideas that will bring the Republican Party back to life again. I will also unite that Party as one in an effort to win back the majority. My 4 part plan will re-energize the party with increased fundraising that will rebuild our war chest, better communication strategies, a stronger grassroots effort, and candidate recruitment.

NHI: The pundits have said that the Congressional candidates won because of their ‘Grassroots’ campaigns, what would you propose the NH GOP do to awaken their base?

EE: It has become unmistakably clear that we need to do a better job communicating with both the media and voters.

We also need to do a better job reaching out to the party's base and keeping the grassroots informed of the party's activities and communicating more effectively on behalf of Republicans running for office. The state party needs to be a voice for any Republican that needs help and support.

As chairman of the New Hampshire Republican party, I will implement a weekly email newsletter to our tens of thousands of addresses on file. We also need to grow our email list by calling Republicans who are not on the list and ask them to sign up in order to receive emails. We must also send out a monthly newsletter in order to keep our base informed.

As chairman, I will make sure that the Party has a person who works solely on communicating with the media and controlling stories. The Democrats have a full-fledged communication operation, and have the advantage of the main -stream media constantly sympathizing with them. We need to get out in front of the story and send press releases out to the top newspapers in the state every time we have something to say and to inform the media when a Republican does something good and when a Democrat does something bad.

The state party also needs to do a better job working closely with candidates around the state to coordinate literature drops and to create a larger presence at parades and sign waves. In recent years, Republicans have been outnumbered by Democrats in those activities.

I also believe that by creating small, inexpensive incentives for hardworking volunteers, we can attract more people to conduct these grassroots activities. I think that if we can complete these tasks than the Republican Party will have a grassroots organization that is second to none.

NHI: With the new Minority Party status of the GOP in NH, how does this change the daily operation of the party?

EE: First of all, as chairman I will work to bring the Party together and unite us as one. Abraham Lincoln said, "A nation divided cannot stand." Well, I believe that a party divided cannot stand. I believe that my 4 part plan for restoring the Republican Party in New Hampshire will prove to be a strong and effective tool.

We must aggressively rebuild our war chest through increased fundraising, we must recruit good candidates, we must do a better job communicating our message, and we must also increase our grassroots volunteers. With hard work and determination I believe that we can and we will win back the majority.

NHI: Due to some unfortunate incidents and management the NH GOP finds itself basically broke, what do you propose doing to change that situation?

EE: We must increase our fundraising in order to rebuild our war chest. Our first test will come in November 2007 when we help to re-elect several Republicans in the cities and towns across our state. We must also prepare to help John Sununu for his re-election to the United States Senate.

When it comes to raising money, we must shoot for the stars and never settle for mediocrity. We must reach out to contributors across state lines and convince the National Republican Committee that we need their help financially. We must also utilize the several Presidential candidates that will be in our state to raise money for the state party. Current members of the House and Senate are counting on the state party to do a better job of targeting races and helping fund mail and literature drops. We also need to hold more low-dollar fundraisers for the party, these events will bring activists together, and help cover the operating costs of the party, such as staff, and regular bills. In the final analysis, as chairman, fundraising will be a top priority that will be given the appropriate attention that it deserves.