Koch brothers postpone retreat to conduct election analysis

Charles and David Koch, the pair of billionaire brothers who helped bankroll a significant portion of outside conservative spending in the last election cycle, announced Tuesday they were postponing their semi-annual meeting so they could further analyze the election results.

"We are working hard to understand the election results, and based on that analysis, to re-examine our vision and the strategies and capabilities required for success," Charles Koch wrote in a letter, obtained by the National Review, to fellow donors. "Although some of the needed changes are already evident, it will be several months before the state data necessary to complete this analysis is available."

The Koch retreats have become a major draw for top conservative fundraisers. At a Koch event earlier this year, the conservative billionaires and their allies reportedly pledged a collective $100 million toward efforts to defeat President Obama. The Huffington Post reported that the bothers themselves pledged $60 million of that total.

The brothers are also thought to be the driving financial force behind Americans for Prosperity, the conservative political action committee that spent tens of millions during the election. The group has stayed politically active in recent weeks, rallying support against "fiscal cliff" plans that would increase tax revenues.

In the letter to fellow fundraisers, Charles Koch acknowledged that he found November's election results "disappointing," but expressed optimism about future.

"Our goal of advancing a free and prosperous America is even more difficult than we envisioned, but it is essential that we continue, rather than abandon, this struggle," Koch said.

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