Speakers Joe Straus (TX), Mike Turzai (PA) named 2016 RLCC Chair, Vice Chair

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (RLCC) named its 2016 leadership with Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus serving as the group’s chairman and Pennsylvania Speaker Mike Turzai serving as vice chair. Straus, who served as this year’s vice chair, takes over for 2015 chairman, Iowa Speaker of the House Kraig Paulsen. The RLCC – a caucus within the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) – is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to electing Republicans in state legislatures where the party currently holds 69 out of 99 legislative majorities.

Outgoing 2015 RLCC Chairman Speaker Kraig Paulsen (IA) issued the following statement:

“It has been a tremendous honor to first serve as RLCC vice chair in 2014 when we experienced the greatest night in state Republican legislative history by growing to a party record 69 of 99 legislative majorities. And then this year serving as chairman, I’m proud that we maintained our historic highs around the country. Looking forward to 2016 when there is immense work to be done to sustain our success, I know Speaker Straus is the right choice with the experience and vision needed to take the RLCC into its next chapter.”

Incoming 2016 RLCC Chairman Speaker Joe Straus (TX) added:

"Speaker Paulsen led us to important victories this year and helped Republicans maintain our overwhelming strength at the state level, and all of us are grateful for his outstanding service. I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of Republican candidates and conservative principles over the course of the next year. We have proven in Texas and elsewhere that Republican leadership makes a tremendous difference. We have a lot of ground to defend, but Speaker Turzai and I look forward to the challenge and are confident that voters will continue to prefer the conservative leadership that Republicans have delivered throughout the country."

Incoming 2016 RLCC Vice-Chair Speaker Mike Turzai (PA) concluded:

“The RLCC under the leadership of Speaker Paulsen and Speaker Straus has had remarkable success in terms of record fundraising and electoral gains. I am honored to follow their lead as RLCC’s vice chair in 2016. In a crucial year when many will be watching the presidential race for the White House, we will remain focused on strengthening the party where it matters the most – in the states. The best ideas, policies and future national leaders all start first in the states, and I am ready to continue the RLCC’s work around the country next year.”

About the RLCC
The Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (RLCC) is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to electing more Republicans to state legislatures. The RLCC’s primary mission is gaining Republican control of more state legislative chambers by targeting national resources to support winnable local races. Since its formation in 2003, the RLCC has assisted in bringing successes to numerous legislative chambers, and winning historic majorities in states nationwide. In the 2013-2014 cycle, the RLCC picked up ten new legislative chambers leading to an all-time historic high of 69 Republican chambers held. The RLCC provides financial support, leadership development and strategic assistance to state legislatures, ensuring that candidates are equipped with the necessary tools to run effective and efficient campaigns, including organized campaign training schools in key states across the country.

About the RSLC
The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) is the largest caucus of Republican state leaders in the country and the only national organization whose mission is to elect down-ballot, state-level Republican officeholders. Since 2002, the RSLC has been working to elect candidates to the offices of lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state legislator, the judiciary and other down-ticket races. The RSLC has more than 150,000 donors in all 50 states. During the 2013-2014 election cycle, the RSLC was active in all 50 states and picked up ten new state legislative chambers, leading to an all-time historic high of 69 chambers controlled by Republicans. Following the 2015 elections, Republicans now hold 32 total Republican lieutenant governor seats, along with a Republican majority of secretaries of state, now at 27. The RSLC successfully expanded the Future Majority Project and Right Women, Right Now initiatives, spending more than $6 million in direct support of Republican candidates of diverse descent and women, leading to the election of 164 new candidates. Last cycle, the RSLC also launched the Judicial Fairness Initiative and the new top-level domain for the Republican Party, ‘.gop.’ To learn more about the RSLC, please visit www.rslc.gop or follow @RSLC on Twitter.