Marc Holtzman, Scott McInnis, and Dick Wadhams are chiming in on the debate over the GOP's future in the Denver Post. First up is Marc Holtzman, who thinks the GOP needs to focus on bringing in independent voters with a strong economic message:

"I really believe what Republicans need to do is to reach independent and like-minded Democrats in Colorado with an economic growth agenda," he said. "This is not a mutually exclusive agenda. All . . . segments of the party can embrace it."

Holtzman hits on what is clearly going to be the most effective strategy against Bill Ritter and the rest of the Democrats in 2010. The ousting of Bernie Buescher over his ties to Ritter's economic policies was a preview of a winning strategy that all wings of the party can unify behind. Next up is Scott McInnis, arguing for more centrist candidates:

Former U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis has openly argued for a similar tack, moderating the GOP's image and fielding more centrist candidates.

McInnis might be right about moderating on social issues at the state level. An ideal strategy would be to adapt the one pushed by Markos Moulitsas of DailyKos on the left. Moulitsas' strategy is to field the most liberal possibe candidate for a district. Conservatives should have similar aims, fielding a moderate in someplace like CD-1 while running social conservatives in districts such as CD-5. Finally, Dick Wadhams points to George Bush's unpopularity:

State GOP chairman Dick Wadhams attributes Republican defeats not to social stances but to the enthusiasm generated by President- elect Barack Obama, the unpopularity of President Bush and the economic crisis laid at Bush's feet.

On the stump and in the statehouse, Republicans "were not embarking on social-issue crusades," he said. "This is a party of fiscal and social conservatives; we have to have both to win."

Wadhams is certainly right about the damage from George Bush. Luckily this will not be much of a factor in 2010.

The debate over the GOP's future is unlikey to be resolved anytime soon, if at all. The best strategy will be a compromise between the various factions (remember that big tent?). Economic conservatives need to take Mark Hillman's advice and realize ejecting social conservatives from the party is not the path to victory. Social conservatives need to realize not everyone shares their zeal on social issues and take Marc Holtzman's advice; let the GOP run a campaign based on economic growth and liberty and win. An elected official sympathetic to your cause is better than a defeated purist.