The Republican National Committee announced Tuesday it would conduct an internal review of its performance in this year’s midterm elections and would also engage a council of outside advisers to conduct an additional review, in an effort to help the party learn from its underwhelming election results and prepare for the 2024 elections.
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel released the names of those who will sit on the newly formed Republican Party Advisory Council, and said in a statement she will meet with them to discuss how the party can attract Hispanic, Asian and Black voters, engage with suburban women, win over the youth vote, counter “Big Tech,” support law enforcement and deliver for Americans of faith.
The council includes:
- Alabama Sen.-elect Katie Britt.
- Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign manager Kellyanne Conway.
- Texas Rep.-elect Monica De La Cruz.
- Ohio GOP 2022 congressional nominee Madison Gesiotto Gilbert.
- Florida Rep. Carlos Gimenez.
- Michigan Rep.-elect John James.
- Arizona GOP 2022 senatorial nominee Blake Masters.
- Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.
- Family Research Council President Tony Perkins.
- California Rep. Michelle Steel.
“As we assess the midterms and plan for 2024, we are gathering a diverse range of respected leaders in our movement to join together and help chart a winning course in the years to come,” McDaniel said.
Some of the council members’ statements hinted at what they think might have gone wrong with the party’s strategy this year, or what they consider the party’s advantages in the future.
“Our party needs to modernize,” Masters said in a statement. “We’re fighting against Big Tech, the media, and now, the Democrats’ GOTV early voting machine.” Masters recently lost his bid for the U.S. Senate against Arizona’s Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly.
“Democrats take the black vote for granted and, in the past, the Republican Party hadn’t even tried,” Congressman-elect John James said in his statement. He won his U.S. House seat in Michigan this year after coming up short in his run for U.S. Senate two years ago.
Florida Congressman Gimenez echoed James’ thoughts on reaching out to minority voters. “Hispanic voters turned out for Republicans at a historic rate this midterm cycle,” he said in his statement. “Democrats pander to my community and take us for granted, Republicans like Chairwoman McDaniel understand that we are not ‘Latinx’ – we are American who love this country, value hard work, and want better futures for our children.”
The internal party review of the midterm elections will be led by Henry Barbour, a Mississippi RNC committeeman. Barbour is the nephew of ex-RNC Chairman Haley Barbour, according to reporting by Politico. Harmeet Dhillon, a California RNC committeewoman, will join Barbour in leading the review.
In a letter sent earlier in November, McDaniel told RNC members the review will assess “where the party excelled and where we need to improve, especially in the clear underperformance among independent voters that we saw… and offer ideas as to how we do better in the future.”
The RNC expects to publish the reviews early next year.