WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee (RNC) today announced Maryland’s D2H Victory campaign to enhance the strategic political resources available to Republican candidates and strengthen campaign operations across the state. In partnership with the Maryland Republican Party, the RNC is building the in-state campaign structure to support Republican candidates with funding for staff and offices, state-of-the-art voter contact technologies, as well as access to the RNC’s vast database of voter information.  By enhancing the Maryland GOP’s ability to effectively reach and communicate with voters, Republican candidates across the state will benefit from increased energy during the campaign and with turnout efforts in November.  This investment in Republican state parties is a critical part of the RNC’s Delaware to Hawaii (“D2H”) strategy to compete aggressively in all fifty states.  “The Maryland Republican Party has built a truly impressive party operation supporting the Republican ticket this cycle and the RNC is confident this strong partnership is on the path to victory,” said RNC Chairman Michael Steele. “At the state and federal level, the Democrat Party’s reckless tax increases and unrestrained spending have failed to deliver for Maryland. The RNC has stood with the Maryland Republican Party and this investment builds on their momentum by offering our Republican candidates the tools and resources to take back our state in November.”   “The RNC’s support will lay the political foundation to ensure voters have opportunities to volunteer on campaigns and help get-out-the-vote in November,” said Audrey Scott, Chairman of the Maryland Republican Party. “Governor Ehrlich, Andy Harris and our team of Republican candidates provide a fiscally responsible alternative to the tax and spend policies of Democrats in Annapolis and DC.  Maryland’s D2H Victory campaign has already opened an unprecedented 7 regional campaign offices across the state and will coordinate with county party offices to provide Maryland Republicans with the most comprehensive field operation to date.  The resources that the RNC is providing will be a tremendous asset for getting out the Republican message and motivating voters to the ballot box.”  In 2009, Republicans made 5.8 million voter contacts and put in 165,715 volunteer hours, resulting in victories across the country.  In total, last year Republicans won 26 of 37 special elections and played a major role in more than 30 successful races.  The RNC is building on this success with strategic investments in key states and districts that will help deliver Republican victories in November.  This year, Maryland Victory Centers have already made tens of thousands of voter contacts.  Maryland’s D2H Victory campaign has opened offices in Annapolis, Baltimore, Bel Air, Easton, Prince Frederick, Rockville, and Salisbury.  Each office is equipped with staff, VOIP phones, and door knocking maps.  For more information about office locations and hours, please visit: www.mdgop.org/victory.

  WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement today: “I want to congratulate Nathan Deal and all the Republican nominees who won their run-off elections. All of the winners join the ticket led by Senator Johnny Isakson and our already strong Republican Congressional delegation who will work to put a stop to the Obama Administration’s far-left policies at both the national and state level once elected. “There is no doubt that Georgians will rally behind the pro-growth, limited government agenda of Nathan Deal. It has become clear that a vote for Roy Barnes would be a vote to rewind Georgia back to a time of bloated bureaucracies and big-government run amok, and I’m confident that Georgia voters will reject the Barnes policies that have already failed to move the Peach State forward once before. “I am excited for what will surely be many Republican victories throughout the entire state of Georgia in November.”

  WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee (RNC) today announced its Illinois D2H Victory campaign to establish the grassroots political operation to ensure Republican candidates are successful in November.  In partnership with the Illinois Republican Party (IL GOP), the RNC is providing funding and resources to build the in-state GOP structure to support Republican leaders. The RNC will devote the resources necessary to enhance the IL GOP’s ability to effectively reach Republican voters and tap into the state’s grassroots volunteer base.  This investment in Republican state parties is a critical part of the RNC’s Delaware to Hawaii (“D2H”) strategy to compete aggressively in all fifty states.  “In a coordinated effort to take back Illinois, the RNC is excited to be partnering with the IL GOP to win all races from the bottom of the ballot to the top,” said RNC Chairman Michael Steele.  “The accomplishments of the Republican Party start with the energized volunteers who go door-to-door, make phone calls, attend events, and reach out to Republican voters in their own communities and neighborhoods.  Republicans in Illinois are sending a clear message to Pat Quinn, Alexi Giannoulias, Debbie Halvorson, Bill Foster, Dan Seals and Phil Hare along with other Democrats across the state that it’s time to change the tax, borrow and spend policies of President Obama that are killing our economy and pushing our children and grandchildren further into debt.” “I would like to thank Chairman Steele for providing the IL GOP with these unprecedented and vital resources as we inch closer toward November.  This sophisticated victory operation will help capture the overwhelming support Republicans are seeing day-in and day-out, and harness the displeasure of the big government agenda of Democrats across the state and in Washington,” said Pat Brady, Chairman of the IL GOP.  “Voters across Illinois couldn’t be more energized and ready to fight for their candidates this November and I am excited to be a part of it.  These resources are further proof that Chairman Steele and the RNC are invested heavily in Bill Brady, Mark Kirk, Adam Kinzinger, Randy Hultgren, Robert Dold, Bobby Schilling and every Republican candidate across the state this November.” In 2009, Republicans made 5.8 million voter contacts and put in 165,715 volunteer hours, resulting in victories across the country.  In total, last year Republicans won 26 of 37 special elections and played a major role in more than 30 successful races.  The RNC is building on this success with strategic investments in key states and districts that will help deliver Republican victories in November.

  WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement today: “It is with deep regret that I learned of former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens’ tragic death in last night’s plane crash in Alaska. Our sympathies go out to the Stevens family and all who have lost a loved one.  Senator Stevens had a long and active career serving the people of Alaska in the United States Senate and was revered for his unparalleled effectiveness at fighting for his home state interests. He was a colleague and friend to many in the Senate but he was a champion for the people of Alaska. He will be missed.”

  WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement today: “It is with deep regret that I learned of former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens’ tragic death in last night’s plane crash in Alaska. Our sympathies go out to the Stevens family and all who have lost a loved one.  Senator Stevens had a long and active career serving the people of Alaska in the United States Senate and was revered for his unparalleled effectiveness at fighting for his home state interests. He was a colleague and friend to many in the Senate but he was a champion for the people of Alaska. He will be missed.”

WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee (RNC) announced a new web video today that highlights President Obama’s failed economic policies. The video, entitled “Deficit of Hope,” can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LgzOCHcRMQ. “The American people have seen who is benefiting from Obama’s economy and it isn’t them. Barack Obama’s looming tax hikes on small businesses, job-killing regulations, and big government takeovers have created an economic climate saturated with uncertainty that is keeping employers from hiring. As a result, unemployment remains near 10 percent, nearly one in five Americans cannot find adequate work, and more people are losing their homes. In the meantime, President Obama has insisted upon leaving behind a mountain of debt and record deficits for future generations to pay. If Obama’s economy is all Democrats have to offer, the American people will vote to fire Nancy Pelosi and put this Democratic Congress out of business.” – RNC Chairman Michael Steele

WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement on the Connecticut primary election results tonight: “Congratulations to all of the Connecticut Republican nominees who won their primaries tonight. The Republican Party is excited to have a core group of strong candidates led by Thomas Foley and Linda McMahon that will stand up to the Democrats’ big government agenda. Strong Republican leadership from Connecticut is essential to growing the economy, creating jobs, and securing a better economic future for the state and our country. Connecticut voters will send a clear message to the White House in November that the Democrats’ agenda is bad for the economy and it’s time for new leadership. I am fully confident that the entire slate of Republican candidates will secure victories in November and place America back on a path to economic prosperity.”

WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement tonight: “Tonight the Washington establishment pulled out all the stops to drag Michael Bennet across the finish line, despite a wave of momentum against the failed policies of the Obama Administration.  Michael Bennet’s unquestioning support for Barack Obama’s big-government agenda during his short time in Washington has done nothing to improve the economy and create jobs in Colorado.  Barack Obama’s out-of-control spending, massive growth of government, and job-killing taxes, are stifling the private sector growth that we need to turn this economy around.  “Michael Bennet owes his victory tonight to the establishment Democrats who went so far as to offer his only opponent an Administration position to lure him out of the race and clear the path for Bennet’s rubberstamp vote of the Obama agenda.  With unemployment stuck at 9.5 percent and the deficit skyrocketing out-of-control, the American people have lost confidence in this Administration’s ability to get people back to work. The people of Colorado deserve a Senator who will stand up to the Obama Administration and reverse these harmful policies slowing our recovery, not another hand-picked successor who will be a reliable vote for endless spending and higher taxes.”

  WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee (RNC) approved the Temporary Delegate Selection Committee’s proposed amendment to Rule No. 15(b) amending the 2012 presidential nominating process. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele praised the adoption of the new amendment. “The decision by more than two-thirds of the Committee will put our presidential nominating process on the right track and ensure that we emerge from the primaries with the strongest Republican nominee possible to defeat Barack Obama,” said Chairman Steele. Revised Rule No. 15(b) as Amended by the Temporary Delegate Selection Committee Proposal Rule No. 15: Election, Selection, Allocation, or Binding of Delegates and Alternate Delegates (b) Timing. (1) No primary, caucus, or convention to elect, select, allocate, or bind delegates to the national convention shall occur prior to the first Tuesday in March in the year in which a national convention is held.  Except Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada may begin their processes at any time on or after February 1 in the year in which a national convention is held and shall not be subject to the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this rule. (2) Any presidential primary, caucus, convention, or other meeting held for the purpose of selecting delegates to the national convention which occurs prior to the first day of April in the year in which the national convention is held, shall provide for the allocation of delegates on a proportional basis. (3) If the Democratic National Committee fails to adhere to a presidential primary schedule with the dates set forth in Rule 15(b)(1) of these Rules (February 1 and first Tuesday in March), then Rule 15(b) shall revert to the Rules as adopted by the 2008 Republican National Convention.