On the same day that Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter announced he was leaving the Republicans for the Democrats and thus demonstrating the depths of the GOP's weakness, respected GOP strategist and former counselor to then-President George W. Bush, Ed Gillespie, announced he is co-founding a new non-profit, Resurgent Republic, to try to reinvigorate debate within the Republican party.

Gillespie, who was also the co-founder of the law and lobbying firm Quinn Gillespie & Associates, is a founding board member of the new group that "will promote market-oriented policies, lower taxes and economic growth and strong national security policies." The other founding board member is Whit Ayres, a long-time Republican pollster. (Gillespie severed his ties to Quinn Gillespie when he joined the Bush administration and he is no longer a registered lobbyist. Yesterday Gillespie said he is launching his own communications and strategy firm, but won't lobby.)

In a statement, the group said it will conduct survey research and focus groups to gauge public opinion about policy and make the results publicly available. They will also sponsor panel discussions on issues featuring members of its advisory boards. The release didn't say who its funders were and a spokesman couldn't be reached.

Other Republican advisory board members include Haley Barbour, Governor of Mississippi, George Allen, former Virginia Senator, former Rep. Bill Paxon, R-N.Y., who is now a lobbyist at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, former Rep. Vin Weber, R-Minn., now a lobbyist with Clark & Weinstock, and Republican politico Mary Matalin.

The group's National Survey Research Advisory Board includes Glen Bolger of Public Opinion Strategies, Linda DiVall of American Viewpoint, Ed Goeas of the Tarrance Group, John McLaughlin, of McLaughlin and Associates and Jan VanLohuizen of Voter Consumer Research.

The Academic Advisory Board includes Gary Andres,  who is vice chairman of lobbying firm Dutko Worldwide and a research fellow at American University's Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies; David Brady, a professor at Stanford University's department of political science and Graduate School of Business; and James W. Ceaser, a professor of politics at the University of Virginia.

                                                                                               --Bara Vaida