Republican leaders are trying to reinvent the party in the Carolinas. They thought S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford was a step in the right direction. But now, in some ways, they may be back to square one.

Eyewitness News reporter Jason Stoogenke spoke to Catawba College political science Prof. Michael Bitzer about what the GOP has to do now to continue rebuilding.

Bitzer said, “They’ve got to start with basically cleaning house and saying, ‘Look, no more shoes can drop. We’ve got to stop hemhorraging ourselves.’”

Bitzer feels the party has to settle on a message and find someone to bring the different conservative movements together the way Ronald Reagan did with fiscal, social and defense conservatives.

He’s keeping an eye on Mitt Romney and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. He also thinks Republicans need to cator more to the middle to win over independents like voter Rodney Cress.

Fortunately for the GOP, Cress is patient.

“I think the leadership is out there, you know. I could name a few off the top of my head who I think are extremely smart,” he said.

Cress likes Newt Gingrich and Sen. Richard Burr.