WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee today announced Idaho’s D2H Victory campaign to establish the grassroots political operation to ensure Republican candidates are successful in November.  In partnership with the Idaho Republican Party, 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 Idaho 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 an effort to replace Walt Minnick with Raul Labrador, the RNC is excited to be partnering with the Idaho Republican Party to provide the necessary support to win this important race,” said RNC Chairman Michael Steele.  “The success of the Republican Party starts with the volunteers who knock on doors, make phone calls, attend events, and reach out to Republican voters in their own small communities and neighborhoods.  Idahoans will send a clear message to Nancy Pelosi that it’s time to change the business-as-usual backroom deals and the big government policies that are failing to deliver for the American people.”    “The Idaho Republican Party is grateful for the commitment of RNC resources to establish Victory operations in Idaho,” said Idaho Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko. This commitment is further proof that my good friend, Chairman Steele, recognizes the importance of replacing Walt Minnick with a proven conservative leader in Raul Labrador, as well as reelecting Senator Crapo, Congressman Simpson, and all of our Republican statewide officers.” 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: “As the White House scrambles to convince skeptical Americans that he is doing everything he can to lower unemployment, President Obama has signed into law a 2,300 page behemoth that will saddle the business community with innumerable unintended consequences, tighter credit, and countless job-killing regulations. Cast from the same mold as the failed stimulus bill and the 2.5 trillion dollar government takeover of healthcare, President Obama’s latest foray into government control of the private economy unnecessarily punishes Main Street and fails to address the root causes of the kind of crisis it was designed to prevent in the first place.”

  WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Co-Chairman Jan Larimer released the following statement today in response to Senator Patrick Leahy’s (D-Vt.) offensive comments regarding gender: “Senator Leahy’s accusations of gender bias on the part of Republicans are outrageous, offensive and outdated. It is startling that he would insinuate that a candidate for our nation’s highest court should not be held to the highest level of scrutiny simply because of her gender. As a member of the Senate’s rapidly-shrinking Old Boys club, you have to wonder if he has also missed the record number of Republican women running for elected office this fall on issues that speak to small business owners, job-creators and entrepreneurs of both genders. Senator Leahy should apologize for failing to understand that women today don’t need throwbacks like he is to protect them. Women today are doing just fine out-performing those who insist on underestimating them.”

  WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement today: “Governor Manchin has been nothing but a lap dog and rubberstamp for President Obama’s liberal tax, spend and borrow policies. Governor Manchin supported President Obama’s budget busting $862 billion stimulus and his government takeover of health care and now West Virginians are all feeling the negative economic effects. “Governor Manchin’s liberal record and ties to the Washington elite have politicians like President Obama and Harry Reid dancing for joy, but people in West Virginia will feel the brunt of their misguided policies.  The Democrat leadership’s binge-spending agenda has resulted in high unemployment, skyrocketing debt, and an out-of-control growth of government. The last thing the U.S. Senate needs is another liberal yes-man in Governor Manchin that will do anything the President asks, even if it will kill jobs and hurt the economy in West Virginia.”

  WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement today: “Governor Manchin has been nothing but a lap dog and rubberstamp for President Obama’s liberal tax, spend and borrow policies. Governor Manchin supported President Obama’s budget busting $862 billion stimulus and his government takeover of health care and now West Virginians are a feeling the negative economic effects. “Governor Manchin’s liberal record and ties to the Washington elite have politicians like President Obama and Harry Reid dancing for joy, but people in West Virginia will feel the brunt of their misguided policies.  The Democrat leadership’s binge-spending agenda has resulted in high unemployment, skyrocketing debt, and an out-of-control growth of government. The last thing the U.S. Senate needs is another liberal yes-man in Governor Manchin that will do anything the President asks, even if it will kill jobs and hurt the economy in West Virginia.”

  WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee today announced Oklahoma’s D2H Victory campaign to establish the grassroots political operation to ensure Republican candidates are successful in November.  In partnership with the Oklahoma Republican Party, 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 Oklahoma 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.  “The RNC is excited to be partnering with the Oklahoma Republican Party to provide support at the state and local levels where our grassroots support is energized and growing,” said RNC Chairman Michael Steele.  “The success of the Republican Party starts with the volunteers who knock on doors, make phone calls, attend events, and reach out to Republican voters in their own small communities and neighborhoods.  Oklahoma Republicans will continue to send a clear message to Washington that it’s time to change the business-as-usual backroom deals and the big government policies that are failing to deliver for the American people.” “We are investing in a sophisticated political operation to capture the groundswell of support that we have consistently seen here in Oklahoma,” said Matt Pinnell, Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman. “Oklahoma Republicans are energized and ready to get-out-the-vote in November.  In addition, the Oklahoma Republican Party will focus on expanding the Republican base to include a younger generation of voters by reaching out to college and high school activists, as well young professionals and recent grads, with a winning message of limited government and fiscal responsibility.”At 30 years old, Matt Pinnell is the youngest Republican State Party Chairman in the United States and will play a leading role in bringing younger voters to the Republican Party.  Using innovative social networking and new media tools, Pinnell will be able to spread the Republican message to a wide audience that ranges from first-time voters to up-and-coming Republican candidates.  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 – The Republican National Committee today announced the Maine D2H Victory campaign to establish the grassroots political operation to ensure Republican candidates are successful in November.  In partnership with the Maine Republican Party, the RNC is providing funding and resources to augment the in-state GOP campaign structure, support Republican candidates, and promote the conservative messages of low taxes, limited government, and fiscal responsibility. The RNC will devote resources to enhance the Maine Republican Party’s ability to effectively reach Republican voters and tap into the grassroots volunteer base that will be the key to Republican success.  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 success of the Republican Party starts with the volunteers who knock on doors, make phone calls, attend events, and reach out to Republican voters in their own small communities and neighborhoods.  The RNC is excited to be partnering with Maine Republican Party in this effort to build the Republican Party at the state and local levels where our grassroots support is energized and growing,” said RNC Chairman Michael Steele.  “The RNC’s Victory program will tap into this excitement and help send a clear message to Augusta and Washington that it’s time to end the big government  policies that are failing to deliver for the American people, and restore fiscal restraint, checks and balances, and accountable government.” “With a sophisticated political operation at the state and county level, we can capture the groundswell of support that we are already seeing here in Maine,” said Charles Webster, Chairman of the Maine Republican Party.  “Our volunteers are energized and ready to get-out-the-vote in November.  The resources that Chairman Steele and the RNC are providing to our state will enhance our ability deliver the Republican message and stand up to the big-spending Democrat agenda that has resulted in 8.4 percent unemployment and is failing to addresses our nation’s critical challenges.” Maine is a critical state for the Republican Party in 2010 and Chairman Steele and the RNC look forward to this partnership and delivering Republican victories this fall.   

  WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele today named Connecticut Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy as RNC Members Finance Co-Chairman for the Northeast and Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Chris Devaney as RNC Members Finance Co-Chairman for the Southeast. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of Connecticut Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy as RNC Members Finance Co-Chairman for the Northeast. Chris has been an excellent, principled leader of the Connecticut Republican Party and will undoubtedly continue that record in this important, new role. I look forward to working with Chris to achieve substantial Republican gains this November. “I am also pleased to announce the appointment of Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Chris Devaney as RNC Members Finance Co-Chairman for the Southeast. As Tennessee Republican Party Chairman, Chris has done a remarkable job building a strong state party and I am confident he will do the same on behalf of the Republican National Committee. I am eager to begin working with Chris to continue to build on this past year’s significant electoral successes.” – RNC Chairman Michael Steele

  WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement today: “Recent statements claiming the Tea Party movement is racist are not only destructive, they are not true. Tea Party activists are your mom or dad, your local grocer, banker, hairdresser or doctor. They are a diverse group of passionate Americans who want to ensure that our nation returns to founding principles that honor the Constitution, limit government’s role in our lives and support policies that empower free markets and free enterprise. Enough with the name-calling.”

What is going on with the folks who run the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People? These days, it seems like they're more concerned with making headlines than they are advancing anything. Let me cite three recent examples. They <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/13/tea-party-preempts-racist-resolution-condemns-bigoted-naacp/">adopted a resolution</a> to condemn the racist elements of the Tea Party movement. The California chapter of the NAACP came out in favor of a ballot measure to legalize marijuana. And that same chapter's president, Alice Huffman, has supported studying whether to convert Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch into a state park. It's not clear to me how any of these actions follow the NAACP's mission statement to "eliminate racial hatred and discrimination."<br /><br />Let's start with the Tea Party resolution. This would make sense if there was any clear indication that the Tea Party movement is indeed racist at its core. But I'm struggling to understand why the NAACP seems intent on framing the Tea Party movement in racist terms. If any organization should have a fundamental understanding of civil unrest, it should be the NAACP, right?<br /><br />It's not surprising that the mainstream media is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Eib2di9bq4">salivating over the prospect</a> of labeling the Tea Party movement as racist, but I've been to more than one Tea Party event, and felt not one inkling of racist motivation or intent among the people attending. From everything I see, the Tea Party movement is about reducing taxes, checking federal government efforts to skirt the Constitution, and identify waste and fraud. How is that racist?<br /><br />Ironically, by focusing on the still evolving Tea Party movement, the NAACP seems to be turning into the same thing it's historically fought against, labeling people it simply doesn't understand.<br /> <br />In fact, by passing an anti Tea Party resolution, the NAACP is implying it has transcended racism, that its members are beyond racist thought and action, flawlessly objective. So how would the NAACP react if another organization passed a resolution condemning the racist elements of the NAACP? How would its members feel if they were lumped into the same category as the National Black Panther Party? I have no doubt that if I were to start looking, I could find a line in the NAACP bylaws, or one person holding a race-tinged sign at an NAACP rally, then exploit that image to garner national headlines and tar the good works of the NAACP. <br /><br />Unfortunately, that's all the Tea Party resolution amounts to. <br /> <br />My same concern extends to the California chapter of the NCAAP and its ludicrous arguments in favor of legalizing marijuana. If anyone should aware of the rampage and mayhem illicit drugs have caused in the African-American community, it should be the NAACP. Instead of continuing attempts to curb the amount of drug use that goes on in poorer urban environments, the NAACP has decided that it is more convenient to focus on minority arrest rates. But regardless of how they spin their concern, legal or illegal, marijuana is a damaging, mind-altering substance. Making it legal will just lead to more drug abuse, the last thing the African-American community needs or can ever afford.<br /> <br />And then to cap it off, California NAACP President Alice Huffman went on record this week supporting a proposal to covert Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch into a state park. I admire Michael's artistic contributions to American pop culture. But California is in a budget crisis. People need jobs and good schools, and clean safe parks in our own communities right now. This act, perhaps more than any other, indicates the desperation of the NAACP's leadership to crowd into a news cycle and show to everyone that it's still there, that it still counts.<br /> <br />I am truly saddened by this direction of the NAACP. Instead of providing solutions to problems, it's promoting weak, ill-conceived, misguided resolutions that echo the same dark-age philosophies and attitudes the organization was founded to overcome.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">You can reach Micah Grant at mgrant@cagop.org</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4415342305243133312-3077506618626621936?l=blog.cagop.org' alt='' /></div>

  WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement today following the Alabama primary run-off election results: “Congratulations to state Rep. Robert Bentley and Martha Roby on their victories this evening. “Rep. Bentley is a strong candidate who will no doubt ensure that the Republican Party will continue to hold the Governor’s seat in Alabama. “Martha Roby’s win tonight should put Democrats in the 2nd district on notice. Martha’s consistent record of fighting for lower taxes, cutting spending, and limited government has resulted in an outpouring of support in her district and allowed her to largely out-raise incumbent Rep. Bright in the pre-runoff filing period. Come Election Day, I’m confident that 2nd District Alabamians will elect Martha Roby as their next Representative to the U.S. Congress.”