GOP makes key staff changes

Published July 31, 2015

by Jones and Blount, July 30, 2015.

This morning the Republican National Committee and the N.C. Republican Party announced key staff changes that will shape the outcome of the 2016 race, where North Carolina is expected to be a big player.  Carrie Brown will take over as the state director of North Carolina, leading the RNC’s 2016 campaign efforts in the state. Bronwyn  Haltom and Edgar Agosto will be the deputy state directors with Ryan Bonifay serving as data director. The Republicans say their campaign efforts will be data-driven with a focus on peer-to-peer contact through social media and, of course, good old-fashioned shoe leather.

“The RNC is building the largest, earliest and most data focused field program in GOP history,” said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. “This new wave of staff will help us train our team, register voters, and meet one-on-one with activists, to build our infrastructure now in order to hand our eventual nominee a fully functional ground operation on day one.”

Meanwhile, The N.C. GOP also announced that Kristen Laster will head up fundraising full-time as the state Republican Party’s finance director. Katie Sullivan, who was previously with the N.C. GOP as political director, will return as senior political director, working to coordinate the party’s growing network of activists and volunteers. Kara Carter joins the team as press secretary. Executive Director Todd Poole says the party is energized and ready for 2016.

“The RNC and the N.C. GOP are already hard at work building the most robust and technologically advanced political operation that this state has ever seen,” said Poole. “While the other side wants to turn North Carolina blue, these new hires will ensure the N.C. GOP will have the experienced and talented staff on the ground that it takes to help elect a Republican president and Republicans up and down the ballot.”

These changes come as fundraising reports are due for candidates, the N.C. GOP breaks in a new chairman, and the General Assembly is still in session hammering out the budget. Political analysts say that the fall will be full-force fundraising and “friend-raising” as candidates stump for votes and supporters across the state.