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Greg Walden Officially Launches NRCC Re-Election Bid

Walden is a Oregon Republican. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Walden is a Oregon Republican. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

On the heels of winning at least 13 seats for House Republicans, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Greg Walden officially launched his bid Thursday to serve as chairman for a second term.  

Walden had announced this summer  he wanted a second stint at the helm of House Republicans’ campaign arm. But in a Thursday letter to the House GOP conference, which was obtained by CQ Roll Call, Walden made his bid official. Walden touted the NRCC’s success as the chief reason for his second campaign.  

In the weeks prior to the elections, two other House Republicans — Roger Williams of Texas and Aaron Schock of Illinois — considered challenging Walden.  But Williams announced Wednesday he would not seek the job given the GOP’s success, and Walden cites his support in this letter. Schock’s plans are still unknown.  

Republicans in the House elect their NRCC chairman. On the Democratic side, the Democratic leader selects the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman.  

The full text of the letter is below:  

Dear Colleague,

I want to thank you for the distinct honor of serving as the NRCC Chairman this cycle. With your support we had an historic night. We increased our GOP majority by at least 13 seats – going beyond our Drive to 245 goal – with numerous races in California and Arizona still too close to call.

These last two years, we have built one the largest Republican House conferences in nearly a century. Today, we begin the work of maintaining this historic Republican majority.

That’s why I’m asking for your support for a second term as chairman of the NRCC. I’m honored to have the support of so many of my colleagues, including our friend Congressman Roger Williams.

Our historic gains wouldn’t have been possible without your support. You and your team put in countless hours raising money, mentoring and supporting candidates and traveling across the country campaigning. The NRCC is strongest when more members participate, and this cycle we had an unprecedented amount of involvement.

Democrats have been looking forward to 2016 for a long time. In fact, some Democrats admitted they were waiting for this cycle, so they could reap the “benefits” of a ticket with Hillary Clinton. We need to be prepared, because Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi see 2016 as a big opportunity to win back their majority.

Thanks to your support, 2014 was a phenomenal year for our candidates across the country. Please call [redacted] or email me with any questions.

I would appreciate your support. Thanks for all you do!

Greg Walden

   


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