The organization’s refocus comes days after new leadership at the RNC fired around 60 staffers — a purge some called an “absolute bloodbath” — as it shifts priorities and charts a new course in line with supporting former President Donald Trump’s bid for the White House. As part of the shift, Whatley wrote, the RNC will be “merging operations with the Trump campaign. We are now a united operation, and a united front.” Whatley and the former president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, were elected to succeed the former chair and co-chair, who left the RNC last week following a turbulent string of elections that yielded less-than-stellar results for Republicans. A core focus this year will also be building and activating “the most effective election integrity program that has ever existed to safeguard our elections,” Whatley advised. In the memo, several new hires were announced who will oversee the RNC’s election integrity operations:Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley has sent out a memo outlining the organization’s bold new strategy to bring about success in this fall’s election.
Charlie Spies (RNC Chief Counsel) - Attorney with the Washington D.C. firm Dickinson Wright who has spent nearly a decade working within national political organizations and campaigns, and who was honored as the 2023 Republican Lawyer of the Year Christina Bobb (Sr. Counsel for Election Integrity) - Ex-U.S. Marine and Former Trump attorney Bill McGinley (Outside Counsel for Election Integrity) - Longtime election attorney who served as White House Cabinet Secretary in the Trump Administration “Our election integrity priorities this cycle will include a broader effort over the coming months to challenge voter identification and signature verification rules which were put into place for the 2020 election,” the memo states. “The RNC’s new posture as it relates to this legislation will be an aggressive, proactive effort to ensure that it will be easy to vote and hard to cheat.” Whatley also pledges to boost political operations on a state-by-state basis by focusing on “organizing in communities that are not traditionally Republican,” a move which could help the party capitalize on the growing number of black and Hispanic voters severing ties with Democrats this election cycle. Dispelling rumors that the RNC is closing community centers, Whatley advises that the organization will be “aggressively pursuing programs to grow our base and maximize opportunities to engage with Americans, utilizing all existing tools for our voters to cast ballots.” Additionally, the RNC has stepped up efforts to bolster its data operation and fundraising campaigns to ensure Republicans have “the necessary funds to win up and down the ballot,” Whatley wrote.
