In two short months Republicans will lose their party leader when President Bush leaves 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The race is now on to fill the leadership void and provide direction for the GOP heading into the 2010 midterm elections. The contest to take over the Republican National Committee chairmanship is the most apparent test to determine the party’s direction. Several names have been floated, including Newt Gingrich, Michael Steele and other prominent Republicans. But one name being floated is better known to California Republicans: the CRP’s own chairman, Ron Nehring.
Most conservative leaders agree that the chairmanship of the RNC is a key position for rebuilding the party and they are keen on electing a true conservative who will welcome the conservative base back into the party. As possible candidates for the RNC chairmanship are discussed, Gingrich, Steele and other Republican luminaries are being mentioned, but Ron Nehring’s name is also being brought up. Could the CRP lose its party chairman to the national party? As Matt Drudge and his eponymous report would say, developing…
November 16th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Actually, I had seen Ron’s name being thrown around. So I asked him about it. He was very clear — he is NOT running for RNC Chairman (though I am sure he is flattered at being mentioned by pundits).
November 16th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Either way, his name is still being floated amongst Republicans as a possibility. Maybe a “draft Ron” movement is afoot…
November 16th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Nehring is not a known figure. Guys like the former Lt. Governor of Maryland are.
November 16th, 2008 at 12:00 am
The problems of the national Repub party are not as severe (i.e., will take a shorter time to recover from) as that of the CA party.
Why we’d want to risk the national R party leadership to part of the clique that destroyed the R party in CA puzzles me, as Rs are almost irrelevant in CA on statewide basis. (We’ve got a RINO governor and, wow, an insurance commissioner with dreams).
Bill Wiese
San Jose CA