The Republican National Committee

The Republican National Committee, or the first time in at least a decade, the Republican National Committee has reduced the scale of its turnout and targeting programs, which have long been seen as critical ways to identify independent voters. A distinct state-by-state plan has become more of a one-size-fits-all regional effort, which is cheaper but may not be tailored to find voters in states where people do not register by political party.

The Republican chairman, Michael Steele, has struggled to raise money. He has focused his efforts on local Republican offices across the country — the 333rd office opened this week in Syracuse — as the traditional work of the party apparatus has either been outsourced to candidates or outside groups, or is simply not being done, with party officials hoping the natural enthusiasm for Republicans will make up the difference.