RNC re-elects Reince Priebus as chairman
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus was elected to a second, two-year term with near-unanimous support today at the RNC's winter meeting, in spite of the GOP's significant losses in the 2012 election.
Even though the party has found itself regrouping after last year's electoral disappointments, members of the committee have been satisfied with Priebus' ability to restore the RNC's financial stability. When Priebus took the helm of the committee two years ago, the organization had around $24 million in bills to pay; it now has close to $3 million in the bank.
"Two years ago, we found a broken organization at the RNC," Priebus said today. "But we accomplished the goals we set for ourselves. Our debt: we overcame it. Our committee: we rebuilt it. Our reputation: we saved it. And in the presidential race, no RNC has ever been a more supportive partner to a nominee than we were."
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In addition to financially assisting the Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, the RNC's main responsibility during the 2012 elections was building a ground-level organization -- an area in which Democrats far outpaced Republicans. At this week's winter meeting, Priebus and other leaders have stressed the need to build out the party's organization online and on the ground, in every state.
"We must compete in every state and every region, building relationships with communities we haven't before," Priebus said. "At the RNC we are dropping 'red' and 'blue' analysis. We must be a party concerned about every American in every neighborhood. We must develop the best technology with the help of the best minds--and train activists, volunteers, and candidates with the modern tools of a modern party."
Just two of the RNC's 168 members opposed Priebus in his re-election. Mark Willis, who served on the Maine delegation during the 2012 elections, tried to challenge Priebus, but couldn't win the backing of three states needed to qualify for the ballot.
