Republican National Committee
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The Republican National Committee (RNC) provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is also responsible for organizing and running the Republican National Convention. The current (and outgoing) chairman is Kenneth B. Mehlman. On November 13, 2006, the RNC announced that U.S. Senator Mel Martinez, a first-termer from Florida, would be Mehlman's replacement.
There are similar committees in every U.S. state and most U.S. counties, though in some states, party organization within states is organized by congressional districts. Allied campaign organizations may also be governed by a national committee, such as the College Republican National Committee.
The 1856 Republican National Convention appointed the first RNC. It consisted of one member from each state and territory to serve for four years. Each national convention since then has followed the precedent of equal representation. From 1924 to 1952 there was a national committeeman and national committeewoman from each state and U.S. possession, and from Washington, D.C. In 1952, committee membership was expanded to include the state party chairs of states that voted Republican in the preceding presidential election, have a Republican majority in their combined U.S. representatives and senators, or have Republican governors. By 1968, membership reached 145. On November 14, 2006 President Bush nominated Senator Mel Martinez as General Chairman and Mike Duncan as RNC Chairman.
Its counterparts include the Democratic National Committee, the Libertarian National Committee, and the Green National Committee.
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