What they are saying about the RSLC 1 What they’re saying about the Republican State Leadership Committee Nick Confessore .@The__RGA & @RSLC duo arguably country’s most successful pol operation in generation. Profound impact on governance: nyti.ms/1hdekNu A National Strategy Funds State Political Monopolies The New York Times “In early 2010, a little-known group called the Republican State Leadership Committee … Republicans could do more than just flip a few state legislatures. They could use their new statehouse majorities to build a firewall in the United States House of Representatives…Only when the dust from the 2010 elections settled did the full scale of the Republicans’ success become clear….Republicans controlled 25 legislatures around the country, up from 14…” Republicans Replay 2010 Strategy at State Level The New York Times “..The stakes in the country’s statehouses are arguably higher than those in the battle for control of the United States Senate, which has consumed most of the media coverage and money from both parties this year. Washington is likely to remain gridlocked regardless of which party wins control of the Senate in November, but the success of Republican governors this fall, along with retention of Republican majorities in dozens of state legislatures, would cement the sweeping changes on economic and social issues that have been implemented in state capitals across the country... It is not only in governors’ races where Republicans are building an advantage: The Republican State Leadership Committee, a Washington-based group that supports the party’s candidates for state offices, is also well ahead of its 2010 fund-raising pace. Matt Walter, the committee’s president, said it had raised more than $24 million through June, close to twice as much as it had raised by the same point in the 2010 election cycle, when his party took control of 21 state legislative bodies….“It’s the legislature and other down-ticket races — and courts — that really give governors power, power,” Mr. Walter said. What they’re saying about Republican legislators GOP Poised to Control More State Legislatures The Wall Street Journal “Four years after Republicans grabbed their largest number of legislative seats since the Great Depression, the party is positioned to gain House and Senate majorities in more states, putting energy regulation, social issues and taxes in play even as Washington remains gridlocked…”Most of the key issues are taking place at the state level, and you’ll continue to see a clear course of action on the Republican side,” said Bill McCollum, chairman of the Republican State Leadership Committee and a former Florida congressman and attorney general… 2 GOP groups working for Republican control of Kentucky House Lexington Herald -Leader “Two national groups dedicated to electing Republican state legislators have their sights set on the Kentucky House. The GOP has a great shot to take control of the Kentucky House for the first time since 1921, officials with the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee and the Republican State Leadership Committee said Thursday in a telephone conference call from their national meeting in Colorado. Pennsylvania House Speaker Sam Smith said Kentucky is one of the “Sweet 16” targets the RLCC has identified as opportunities to flip legislative control. Republicans now control 60 of 99 legislative chambers in the country…” National GOP group targets Nevada Assembly, Senate Ralston Reports “A national GOP group announced today that it is targeting the Nevada Assembly and Senate as part of a small universe of legislative bodies to switch to Republican leadership. The Republican Legislative Campaign Committee declared that the Assembly and Senate are part of its “Sweet 16 Targets” for flipping legislative control.” GOP groups target Democrats’ House supermajority Associated Press “The Republican Legislative Campaign Committee and the Republican State Leadership Committee are holding a conference in Colorado this week, and say they’re planning to highlight what they describe as top Illinois Democrats “dragging down their party” in an effort to erode that party’s control of the state House…RSLC President Matt Walter said during a conference call Thursday afternoon that examples of evidence of withering Democratic support include “abysmal” approval ratings for Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and the political apparatus in the Democratic stronghold of Cook County that he says is “fading in some degree.” Republicans eye state legislature gains in November The Washington Examiner “…In Kentucky, Republicans are keeping their fingers crossed about another potential win. Democrats have controlled the Kentucky House of Representatives since the 1920s, and a Republican victory would be tricky. That said, national Republicans have an eye on the state, and may invest in trying to flip the chamber. Walter said his group is mulling a number of possible ways to play in the race, including an independent expenditure…The New Mexico House is also on national Republicans’ radar. Democrats have held it since the 1950s, but Republicans have chipped away at their majority over the last few cycles. And, per the Republican State Leadership Committee’s political director, Justin Richards, having Gov. Susana Martinez at the top of the ticket in November may give down-ballot Republicans the boost they need to win three seats and flip the chamber…” Republicans Poised For Major State-Level Gains in November Breitbart News “If President Obama’s poll numbers remain underwater, Republicans are poised to capture control of several state legislatures this fall. The GOP could capture as many as 8 state legislative chambers in November and pick up seats across the country. “Republicans are poised to gain control of chambers in blue states and purple states across the country,” said John Loe, spokesman of the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee. 3 Study: Citizens United elected more Republicans The Washington Post The Republican State Leadership Committee raised about $30 million in 2010 through its RedMap program, targeting states such as Colorado, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin. The RSLC spent about $1 million each in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, all of which swung to Republican control after 2010….The 2010 midterm elections were a huge boost to Republicans nationally, and at the state level. Republicans won control of 53 state legislative chambers that year, 20 more than they controlled before Election Day. Just 15 Republican state legislators lost reelection bids that year, compared with 492 Democrats who found themselves out of jobs. Midterms Give Parties Chance for Sweeping Control of States The New York Times “Republicans now control 59 of the 99 partisan legislative chambers, and have complete political control — both legislative houses and the governor’s mansion — in 23 states, while Democrats control 13. The total number of states ruled by a single political party, 36, is the highest in six decades…Officials from both parties say there are two states that the Republicans might be able to add to the list of places where they enjoy complete control — Iowa and Arkansas…Matt Walter, president of the Republican State Leadership Committee, which is spearheading the statehouse efforts, said, “The pattern is crystal-clear at this point, and Wisconsin is the best example of it: That ability to drive your agenda when you are completely in control of state government will absolutely continue to play out.” Mr. Walter said even picking up a house in a divided state was critical at a time when both parties are so ambitious. “The ability to restrain the other side from advancing their agenda very often comes down to a couple of seats in one chamber,” he said. What they’re saying about Republican lieutenant governors GOP Lieutenant Governors to descend on Milwaukee Wisconsin Reporter “Milwaukee and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch will play host to a gathering of Republican lieutenant governors and second- in-command candidates beginning Sunday. The session, organized by the Republican State Leadership Committee and its Republican Lieutenant Governors Association, runs from Sunday through Wednesday morning at undisclosed locations in Milwaukee, and is expected to be the “largest gathering of Republican lieutenant governors in history… “Wisconsin is the model for the nation in how you take a blue state with entrenched special interests (public sector unions), a dismal jobs record and a deficit budget and turn it all around without raising taxes,” [RSLC spokeswoman Jill] Bader said. New web ads tout Republican ‘ticket’ of Sandoval and Hutchison Las Vegas Review-Journal “Mark Hutchison fought Obamacare and is part of a team that keeps Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid up at night! That’s the message of the very first Internet ads deployed in the country by the Republican Lieutenant Governors Association, a group affiliated with the Republican State Leadership Committee. They’re set to start appearing on computer screens today in Nevada…” 4 Scott’s Hispanic sidekick does more than tick a box The Tampa Tribune “…Scott, making history all over the place, appointed the first Hispanic lieutenant governor to succeed Florida’s first black female lieutenant governor, a recruiting coup conventional wisdom says could blunt the eventual Democratic nominee’s advantage in deep blue, heavily Hispanic…” Lieutenant governors knock D.C. Republicans Politico “Republican lieutenant governors have a message