Super PAC to focus on broadening GOP appeal

WASHINGTON (CNN) -

A group of Republican veterans are forming a super PAC to fund a new effort to refocus the party's messaging and policy goals, in an attempt to broaden the GOP's appeal beyond its traditional demographic base.

"The goal is simple," said Alex Castellanos, who is spearheading the project, NewRepublican.org. "Help move the GOP move forward and renew our brand."

The endeavor is being backed by the likes of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who is featured prominently on the web site.

"If you think every parent should have the right to choose the best school for their kids, or believe we should grow our economy bottom-up, not top-down from Washington, you are thinking like a New Republican," Bush said.

While federal law prevents the new super PAC from coordinating with candidates, Castellanos said he envisions it as serving as an information hub to help advance the Republican brand.

"If you are a candidate we can't coordinate," said Castellanos, who is also CNN contributor. "But we are here to help Republicans with new ideas and new policies to help them lead the Republican Party forward and be more successful."

Castellanos said the GOP doesn't need to "compromise" its principles, but must do a better job of communicating them. He compared this new GOP effort to the Democratic Leadership Council, a centrist organization that successfully moved its party to the center in the late 1990's on several policy fronts.

"Our mission is to do for the Republican Party what the DLC did for the Democrats," Castellanos said. "The difference is the Democrats won the center with Republican principles on issues such as welfare reform, more cops on the streets, and 'It is the economy stupid.' Maybe we can win the middle, with Republican principles too."

On its web site, the super PAC specifically highlights recent speeches Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal delivered at the RNC Winter Meeting where both GOP leaders emphasized that the party needs to do a better job of communicating with voters.