The GOP so thoroughly dominated the 2002 election that the next morning's headline in the Rocky Mountain News read: "Republicans rule."

Two years later, the banner might as well have been "Colorado Republicans dazed and confused." Democrats in 2004 came from nowhere to record stunning victories.

And they've been doing it ever since, racking up big wins in both 2006 and - have we mentioned this lately? - 2008.

It's been little more than a month, and the fog still hasn't fully lifted. But Republicans are beginning to look for ways to make a comeback in 2010.

Party bigwigs and members of the GOP rank-and-file have plenty of ideas - but no single surefire prescription - to cure what ails the men and women in red.

Scott Shires, who helps Republicans get elected to the state Senate, said he recently was approached by two different people on the some day wondering what the party could do.

Both bad-mouthed each other.

One maintained Republicans need to return to strong conservative values; the other said it was the strident conservative wing that was hurting the party.

"We need to stop the infighting, but I don't know how," Shires said.

Political consultant Monica Owens, daughter of former GOP Gov. Bill Owens, said Democrats do a much better job of embracing digital media, from texting to blogging and the use of MySpace and Facebook. The effectiveness of such tools is considered a centerpiece of Barack Obama's winning strategy.

"Republicans need to find their voice and learn once again how to communicate," she said. "Anymore, it is not simply enough to have ads on TV."

The hand-wringing under way has happened to Democrats, too. They lost a U.S. Senate race in 1996 that they were sure was theirs, and two years later said goodbye to the governor's seat after a 24-year stranglehold.

In other words, say some Republicans, it's cyclical.

"Colorado was not a Republican state then, and we are not a Democratic state now," said Dick Wadhams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party.

"We have tremendous opportunities in 2010, but it is not automatic," he said. "It will take very strong Republican candidates and strong campaigns."

But by then, George W. Bush will be back in Texas, Obama will be in the White House and nobody knows where the economy will be.

"The Democrats now own the joint in Colorado and in Washington," Wadhams said. "They can't blame anybody but themselves."

Calling Dr. GOP

Colorado Republicans have taken a beating in three straight elections, so the Rocky asked dozens of political types the following: "You're a political doctor. Name one thing you'd prescribe to bring the Republican Party back to health." Here are their responses:

* "Actually, I am a doctor; I don't just play one. But the Republican Party needs to propose actual solutions that work to the problems people actually care about.

"For starters, the widening of Interstate 25. How about coming up with ideas for funding that instead of proposing to steal the money from severance tax money?"

Rep. Steve Johnson, R-Fort Collins, a veterinarian and Larimer County commissioner-elect

* "Take a shot of conservatism; it works every time."

Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray

* "A spinal infusion."

Steve Curtis, former chairman of the Colorado Republican Party

* "Send us all in for a backbone transplant. Get us back to walking our talk, and we'll start winning again."

John Andrews, former state Senate president and a Centennial Republican

* "I would prescribe the Wizard of Oz treatment.

"We need a heart so we don't sound so mean-spirited and intolerant.

"We need a brain - we can't keep trying the same thing and expect a different result.

"And we need courage to stick to our principles of personal responsibility, economic freedom and strong free-market systems."

Republican Gigi Dennis, former state lawmaker and secretary of state

* "Fiscal responsibility and a return to the American ethic of hard work and savings."

Democrat Dick Lamm, former three-term governor

* "I think the best way Republicans can return to health is to quit airing our internal debates in the newspaper. I would much prefer instead to publicly discuss how we can bring newspapers back to health, and keep our discussions on our party's future within the party."

Republican Bill Owens, former two-term governor

* "The next time you feeling like whining and complaining pick out a center-right group you like and write a check - and get three friends to do the same thing. And write a second check to a good charity - people are hurting and the world doesn't center around politics."

Sean Duffy, political consultant and former aide to Gov. Bill Owens

* "My first objective would be to start filling a bench with bright, young, fiscal conservative people who would consider running for office starting at the local level. Second, I would look at trying to register as many Republicans as possible.

"At the same time, we should be proactive in organizing donors as the Dems have."

Former Sen. Norma Anderson, R-Lakewood

* "What we need to do is get back to the basics. We need to do a better job of communicating our message and rebuilding our party organization like the Democrats did after the 2002 election."

Sean Conway, Weld County commissioner-elect and chief of staff to Republican U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, of Loveland

* "Only work with team players. Don't trust people who undermine everyone except hand-picked cronies, or claim they can do every job by themselves. And dump the religious right.

"On second thought, forget our advice and do exactly what (former Congressman) Bob Beauprez and (U.S. Rep. ) Tom Tancredo tell you to. The sky's the limit!"

Michael Huttner, director of Progress Now, a liberal group known for its attacks on GOP candidates

* "Focus on our core principles, which includes the practice of fiscal responsibility."

Renee Nelson, Jefferson County Republican Party chairwoman

* "Demonstrate how we will provide real solutions to the challenges faced by Coloradans. This means addressing the infrastructure challenges faced by state government, being willing to make the tough choices on where to cut spending, and offering legislation that allows Coloradans to exercise control over their lives in areas such as health care."

Republican Wayne Williams, El Paso County commissioner

* "Making the case to business people that the Republican Party is emphatically pro-business is something we have not done recently. Business people respond well to the Republican message of having a small, efficient government, lower taxes, reasonable regulation and incentives to grow the economy and create jobs. More government is not the answer, more entrepreneurship is."

Sandy Hume, former Boulder County commissioner and Republican state senator

* "As a political psychiatrist, I'd advise the party to 'get in touch with the feelings' of unaffiliated voters."

Attorney General John Suthers, a Colorado Springs Republican

* "I'd prescribe two aspirin for the hangover, Lasik surgery to improve our vision and a heavy dose of steroids to tackle the real problems ahead."

Jason Dunn, former deputy attorney general under Suthers

* "Recognize that limited government does not mean anarchy. Until Republicans in elected office recognize that they actually have to govern, the Dems will have open-field running. We are irrelevant because we have failed to focus on issues that are relevant to the people."

Sen. Steve Ward, R-Littleton, and a 6th Congressional District candidate

* "Doc Madden prescribes the Repub Reform Diet: Cut back on bitter recipes like '(Ann) Coulter Vitriol' made solely of raw red meat and focus more on bread-and- butter issues that nourish the whole family, such as the economy, education and health care."

House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, who leaves office in January

* "Actually, the patient is on life-support and in need of major surgery, so prescribing just one thing may result in a malpractice claim and I'm not so fond of trial lawyers."

House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker

* "Go back to their Goldwater roots and stay the heck out of people's private lives. Social issues are like rocking in a rocking chair - they give you something to do, but as a party they don't take you anywhere."

Laura Chapin, political consultant and former staffer for Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter

* "The answer is not a prescription; it's about bedside manner. The delivery of the news to the patient (in this case the voters) has to be calm, deliberate, friendly and thoughtful - even if the message seems obvious and largely preventive. We must as individuals and as a nation look internally at the nasty habits of overspending, uninspired leadership, unreasonable expectations and complacent outreach."

Mary Smith, chairwoman of the Denver County Republican Party

* "Party building is about listening to the voters. It is time-consuming and arduous but pays off in the long run. We tend to think only about the competition rather than about what excites and motivates party activists. So I guess I will always advocate building from the bottom up instead of from the top down."

Pat Waak, chairwoman of the Colorado Democratic Party

* "The same prescription my doctor says when he sees me with my shirt off: Eat less and exercise more. That is, for Republicans to get back to their brand they need to tax less and spend better."

Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute, a metro-based free-market think tank

* "A few cocktails and a whole lot of caffeine.

"The reason? Republicans should spend the next several months building a viable coalition that must include social conservatives, libertarians and free-market business interests. Once this is done, they've got to hit the streets running in three key areas - litigating against Big Labor special interests in the courtroom, fundraising and establishing a viable get-out-the-vote campaign for 2010."

Jessica Peck Corry, GOP activist

* "Better organize traditional Republican constituency groups to raise the extremely large amounts of money that are now necessary to win in Colorado . . .

"Of course, it also wouldn't hurt if they could find three or four of their own billionaires to fund their side of the equation."

Christopher Howes, state Capitol lobbyist

* "Stop leading with social issues and stop blaming the Democrats. The litmus test of Christianity for Republican leadership needs to be silenced.

"This is a new Colorado and the appearance of the harsh positions on the social issues based on Christianity appears to the citizens of Colorado as not being very Christian."

Rep. Don Marostica, R-Loveland

Reversal of fortune

Colorado Republicans scored big in the 2002 election, only to be steamrolled by Democrats in 2004, 2006 and 2008. A look at what Republicans controlled in January 2003, and what Democrats will control in January 2009:

GOP IN 2003

* Statewide executive offices: governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer and secretary of state. (Only the attorney general was a Democrat.)

* U.S. Senate: Both seats

* Congress: Five of seven seats

* State Senate: 18-17 majority

* State House: 38-27 majority

DEMS IN 2009

* Statewide executive offices: governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer and likely the secretary of state as an appointment is under way. (Only the attorney general is a Republican.)

* U.S. Senate: Both seats

* Congress: Five of seven seats

* State Senate: 21-14 majority

* State House: 38-27 majority

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