What’s next? The GOP has big opportunities in 2017 and beyond

For the Republican Party, the 2016 election felt like a triumphant culmination of four years of grassroots organizing, issue-based advocacy, and soul searching after failing to win the White House in 2012. At the federal level, Republicans now control the White House, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate. In addition, Republicans boast 33 state governorships (perhaps 34, if North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory is successful in his challenge of the election results in his state) and the vast majority of state legislature seats.

Amidst claims that the Democratic bench is not very strong, that the party is going the way of British Labour by doubling down on far leftism, and that some top Democrats are even in denial about the scope of their defeat, it would be easy for Republicans to become complacent.

I argue this is the most dangerous place for the party to be.

The time for celebration of Republican victory is over. Governing in a manner that implements the clearly conservative will of the voters must be the rallying cry for all of those on the right who have ascended to public office at any level. Only then can Republicans eschew complacency and, instead, both maintain and build on their historic majorities.

Things will start in 2017, with two major gubernatorial elections: New Jersey and Virginia.