FR friend Ron Nehring (pictured to the right), the incoming Chairman of the California Republican Party in just a few weeks, is out in Washington, D.C. for the Winter meeting of the Republican National Committee. There, the RNC members are gathered to elect new officers for the 2007-2008 term. Here is Ron’s "live" report, received literally moments ago:
California’s Tim Morgan, Republican National Committeeman and CRP Rules Committee Chairman, was moments ago elected Treasurer of the Republican National Committee by acclamation here in Washington, D.C.
The RNC is meeting here at the Grand Hyatt for its bi-annual organizational meeting. Among the other members of the CRP leadership team who are here are CRP Chairman Duf Sundheim (who gave an outstanding speech on Tim’s behalf) and National Committeewoman Barbara Alby.
Taking the helm of the Republican National Committee are Kentucky National Committeeman Mike Duncan as Chairman, and Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida as General Chairman. This new leadership configuration is similar to Ronald Reagan’s when Sen. Paul Laxalt served as General Chairman and Frank Fahrenkopf served as Chairman.
Duncan replaces the highly skilled Ken Mehlman as Chairman. Mr. Mehlman was a key architect of President Bush’s successful 2000 and 2004 victories. As Chairman, Mr. Mehlman focused on institutionalizing the RNC’s ambitious campaign programs, taking advantage of new technologies to provide new tools to state parties, and working relentlessly to reach new voters through hundreds outreach events and other programs.
Interestingly, former RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie is also here as well – he’s the new Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia. Mr. Gillespie was Mr. Mehlman’s predecessor and is also a skilled strategist.
Seated next to Ed Gillespie is Morton Blackwell, the National Committeeman from Virginia and President of the Leadership Institute, the leading national political training organization for conservatives. I’ve served as a member of LI’s faculty for more than five years, and attended my first LI school as a student in 1989.
New RNC Chairman Mike Duncan, elected by acclamation just before Tim Morgan was elected Treasurer, presents himself as smart, candid, personable, and articulate. He’s served as General Counsel for the RNC and has been part of five presidential campaigns. He’s risen up through the ranks of the party, having previously been a precinct chairman, a state chairman, and now national chairman.
