What Is the RNC?
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is the official governing body of the Republican Party. Founded in 1856 and boasting hundreds of elected members, staff and appointees, the RNC is one of the oldest and largest political organizations in the United States.
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History
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Republicans first met as an official party on July 6, 1854, in the town of Jackson, Michigan. It became a national organization in 1856 with Republican John Fremont's run for president. The main Republican tenants at the time were the abolition of slavery and an official government policy of free Western land for settlers.
The first Republican National Committee (RNC) was appointed at the 1856 Republican National Convention, held in Philadelphia. Abraham Lincoln became the first Republican president in 1860, securing the party's future with his leadership in the Civil War and signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
While initially a progressive civil-rights-oriented party, over the past few decades Republicans have taken a staunchly conservative cultural and economic stance on most issues, as outlined in the Republican National Committee's official Republican Party platform.
Structure
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The Republican National Committee (RNC) is primarily made up of volunteer elected officials and a team of paid staff.
An elected chair and a co-chair of the opposite sex serve as the top officers of the Republican National Committee. Michael Steele is the current RNC chairman, the first black person to ever hold the position. Eight vice chairmen from across the country join the chair and co-chair. A secretary, treasurer and general counsel round out the RNC's officers.
Below the elected officers of the RNC is the executive committee, composed of 28 officers and members of the RNC.
The voting membership of the RNC consists of an elected national committeeman and committeewoman from each state, along with the chairman of each state's Republican Party.
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Membership
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The members of the Republican National Committee are a combination of elected and appointed Republicans from each state and region of the United States.
Members have voting privileges on the official Republican Party platform, rules and nomination of candidates for president and vice president.
Function
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The Republican National Committee (RNC) serves as an umbrella organization over state committees, providing continuity between election cycles. Every four years, the RNC organizes the Republican National Convention.
At the convention, delegates from each state and territory meet to nominate the Republican candidates for president and vice president, agree on the official Republican Party platform and adopt rules and procedures for the party.
Misconceptions
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The Republican National Committee (RNC) is often conflated and confused with Republican state parties, campaigns and elected officials. While the RNC is clearly affiliated with state parties and campaigns, it often has little, if anything, to do with their tactics or organization, or the individual votes of a Republican elected official.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Photo: House.gov
