US political guru to help Fine Gael

THE disastrous election defeat can be overturned is the message Fine Gael activists will hear from a top US political strategist at their behind closed doors conference today.

US Republican party strategist Ray Howell will tell 500 of the key party faithful it is vital to get the organisational structures sorted out early, but the specifics on policies can wait.

The Boston-based PR guru has been involved in four successive election victories by Republican governors in the Democrat-dominated state of Massachusetts.