Republicans in Turmoil as Redistricting Looms

The Troubles come on the Cusp of a Crucial Opportunity for the GOP to amass Political Power for the Next Decade, the 2020 State-Level Elections.

The GOP Group charged with Winning State Legislatures is in Turmoil, sparking concerns that the Party is at Risk of Blowing the Next Round of Redistricting.

The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) has seen an Exodus of Top Staff in recent months, has Lagged behind its Democratic Counterpart in Fundraising and is Struggling to explain why its New President, Austin Chambers, was also Moonlighting as a General Consultant for Louisiana Businessman Eddie Rispone's Failed Bid for Governor.

The Troubles come on the cusp of a Crucial Opportunity for the Party to Amass Political Power for the Next Decade, the 2020 State-Level Elections, which will Determine which Party Controls the Process of Redrawing the Political Maps for the Next Decade.

Republicans are Reeling after Major 2019 Losses in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Virginia, as Democrats are Organizing and Fundraising at a Record Breaking clip. Led by Former President Obama and Former Attorney General Eric Holder, they are Working to Prioritize State-Level Races after getting Clobbered in the Post-2010 Redistricting.

Now, some Elected GOP Officials, Donors, and Party Strategists are Questioning the RSLC’s Leadership. Complaints grew Loud enough that Committee Officials convened a Conference Call the Tuesday before Thanksgiving in which Chambers and Bill McCollum, the Chairman of the RSLC Board, took Questions from State Lawmakers perturbed by Chambers’ Outside Work, which many were Unaware of until after the Louisiana Elections.

“Viewed in the most favorable light, these actions create terrible optics at a crucial point in the redistricting cycle,” said a Republican Operative Close to the Committee. “Not only do RSLC employees not have time for moonlighting — moonlighting undermines the confidence of the legislators involved in the organization and potentially some of its donors, too.”

The Conference Call was billed as an Opportunity for Chambers to Address several Posts written by a Conservative Blogger in Louisiana that skewered his Work for Rispone. At least Three Major RSLC Donors have expressed Concern about Chambers after Reading the Blog Posts, which cast him as an Inexperienced, Out-of-Town Hired Gun.

State Lawmakers Advocated for a Clear Policy that Prohibits Top Staffers from taking on Outside Works. Still, the Presence of so many High-Level RSLC Stakeholders on the Call underscores the extent to which his Conduct spooked Party Power Players at a Tenuous moment.

The GOP Suffered a String of Defeats in November that will certainly Cost them Legislative and Congressional Seats in Redistricting. Despite over $3 Million in RSLC Spending, the Party Lost Control of Both Chambers of Virginia's General Assembly and will be boxed out of the Map-Making Process there Entirely. Meanwhile, Rispone's Defeat keeps Democrats in Control of the Governorship in Louisiana, while Republicans Fell Short of a Supermajority in the State House.

Far more Legislatures are up for grabs next year, including in places such as: Florida, Pennsylvania, and Texas, which will Determine which Party Draws the Maps that will Shape State and Federal Politics for a Decade to come.

Chambers was Hired in April to Replace the Outgoing RSLC President after Beating Out Several other Candidates, including a State Legislator, for the Position. Part of his Appeal was his Connections to the Current Administration and a Vast Fundraising Network. Chambers has Close Ties to Nick Ayers, the Former Chief of Staff to Vice President Mike Pence.

But his Hire triggered some Skepticism among RSLC Staff. They Raised Questions about Chambers' Prominent Role in the Campaign of Former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, who was Embroiled in Legal and Ethical Scandals and Resigned in 2018.

As Board President, McCollum, the Former Congressman and Florida State Attorney General, told Staff in a Meeting around the Time of Chambers’ Hiring that there would be No Major Personnel Changes. But the RSLC still saw Significant Staff Turnover in the following months, including some who were Pressured to Leave and some who had recently been Promoted.

Among the Notable Departures: Melanie Pfeiffenberger, the Executive Director of the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (RLCC), which falls under the RSLC Umbrella; David Kanevsky, a Vice President for Political Affairs; Neri Martinez, who led efforts to Recruit Women and Minority Candidates; Devon Gallagher, the Events Director; and David James, the Communications Director.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) raised $8.5 Million in the first half of 2019, Beating the RSLC by $370,000.

Chambers brought in Ron Weiser, a Former Ambassador and Major GOP Fundraiser, to serve as the RSLC Finance Chairman. Weiser said the Committee is on track to Surpass the $16.7 Million it raised in the last off year, in 2017.

Still, Chambers and others in the Party have been sounding the Alarm on Democrats’ Organization for months, warning that they are more Focused than ever on State-Level Races and that the GOP needs to Increase its Efforts.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker