RNC commissions ‘review’ of party tactics after disappointing midterm
As the GOP confronts its disappointing election performance, the Republican National Committee will launch a review of party performance and bring in outside advisors to guide strategy.
Nearly a dozen people are being recruited by the RNC to join what it calls a “Republican Party Advisory Council”. This group includes Kellyanne Conway (ex-White House adviser to Donald Trump), Tony Perkins (evangelical leader), and two senator candidates who ran this year.
Separately, the RNC is leading a review of party mechanics during the midterms. This is being done by senior Republicans. The RNC expects to publish its findings in the first half 2023.
Officials from the Republican Party say that they are taking steps to address larger concerns facing the GOP after the midterms. The party’s performance in an environment that many believed was favorable to them, underperformed their expectations.
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Ronna McDaniel, Chair of the RNC, stated in a statement that the advisory council was being formed. “As we evaluate the midterms (and plan for 2024), we are gathering a diverse array of respected leaders from our movement to work together and chart a winning path in the years ahead. This talented group of Republicans is going to be there shoulder-to-shoulder with us as we grow our party, hold Democrats responsible, and elect Republicans.
McDaniel is the longest-serving RNC chair for more than 100 years and now the group has been launched to combat a possible leadership challenge. New York Rep. Lee Zeldin was unsuccessful in his campaign to become governor. He has been reaching out and contacting RNC members in anticipation.
Republicans claim the council was created to help the GOP reach new voters and provide direction on issues such as outreach to minorities or suburban women voters. These are groups the GOP has struggled to win over in the past.
The members include Alabama Sen.-elect Katie Britt and Texas Rep.–elect Monica De La Cruz. Rep.-elect John James is a Black Republican from McDaniel’s home state of Michigan.
Blake Masters, a former Arizona Senate candidate, will be part of the panel. He has asked the party to abandon “consultant one size fits all strategies” in the wake his loss.
“Our party must modernize. Masters stated that they are fighting against Big Tech, media and the Democrats’ GOTV early voter machine. I look forward to working alongside Ronna to ensure that the party supports our candidates effectively and wins big in 2024.
Perkins, the former McDaniel detractor, was also a member of the Family Research Council.
Perkins stated that he is now with McDaniel in a statement. He stated that “Americans of faith” are the heartbeat for the Republican vote. “I’ve seen firsthand how Chairwoman McDaniel understands it, and I am delighted to continue working with her to promote these core values.”
Top Republicans expect that the post-election review will begin after next week’s Georgia Senate election. Henry Barbour (a Mississippi RNC Committeeman, the nephew of exRNC Chair Haley Barbour) and Harmeet Dalton (a California RNC Committeewoman and attorney) will lead it.
Barbour was also co-author of RNC’s post-2012 election autopsy. This was when the party attempted to address concerns regarding messaging and strategy after Mitt Romney’s defeat to Barack Obama in November 2012.
McDaniel wrote earlier this month to RNC members that the review was intended to assess “where the party excelled” and “where we need to make improvements, particularly in the clear underperformance of independent voters that we observed… and offer suggestions as to how to do better in future.”
Allies of McDaniel say they believe she has the support to win reelection at the 168-member committee’s annual winter meeting in January in Dana Point (Calif.). A list of more than 100 RNC members supporting McDaniel was released recently. This is far more than she would need in order to win another term.
