Texas GOP Chairman Steve Munisteri leaves role, joins Rand Paul political team

[William Tell]

This is huge!

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Rand Paul on Thursday picked up the backing of the Republican Party of Texas' chairman, who is stepping down from his role to take a position as a national senior adviser to the Kentucky Republican's presidential campaign-in-waiting


In doing so, Steve Munisteri bypassed two Texans who are also likely to seek the Republican nomination: Sen. Ted Cruz and former Gov. Rick Perry. Munisteri has known Paul for 34 years, dating back to when Paul's father represented Texas in Congress, and counts Paul as a friend.

"I couldn't say no to him," said Munisteri, who will formally leave his post next month and will split his time between Texas and Washington.

Munisteri will be tasked with helping Paul fine-tune his communications strategy, as well as help guide Paul's ongoing effort to appeal to minority and youngers voters, who typically vote for Democrats.

"He's the only conservative candidate that I see who is reaching out to minority voters and young voters," the 57-year-old Munisteri said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I don't think we can win a national election unless we do a better job of getting new people into the party."

Munisteri, who was elected to a third term last year, helped the Texas GOP raise $22 million. He joked that his nickname during his tenure as chairman was "beggar in chief."

Munisteri said his roster of contacts will be available to help connect Paul with the deep-pocked donors who define Texas and Republican politics, but he did not plan to have fundraising as his main task. Instead, he planned to help Paul plan a broader strategy.
"I have some definite ideas how to lay out a presidential campaign," he said.

Munisteri has worked on White House campaigns in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida — all states considered crucial to winning the nomination. And the Texas GOP is among the best in the nation at recruiting minority voters — a goal Paul has made for his expected campaign.

"I am very pleased Steve will be joining our team," said Doug Stafford, Paul's top aide. "As a party chair in Texas, he raised the bar for grassroots engagement and performance. His experience in multiple national campaigns will be invaluable to Sen. Paul."

Paul planned to visit Texas this weekend to headline party fundraisers in Dallas and Fort Worth, the latest example of the groundwork he is laying for what is an increasingly likely presidential campaign.

http://news.yahoo.com/texas-gop-chie...-election.html

[FSP-Rebel]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Rand Paul on Thursday picked up the backing of the Republican Party of Texas' chairman, who is stepping down from his role to take a position as a national senior adviser to the Kentucky Republican's presidential campaign-in-waiting

In doing so, Steve Munisteri bypassed two Texans who are also likely to seek the Republican nomination: Sen. Ted Cruz and former Gov. Rick Perry. Munisteri has known Paul for 34 years, dating back to when Paul's father represented Texas in Congress, and counts Paul as a friend.

"I couldn't say no to him," said Munisteri, who will formally leave his post next month and will split his time between Texas and Washington.

Munisteri will be tasked with helping Paul fine-tune his communications strategy, as well as help guide Paul's ongoing effort to appeal to minority and youngers voters, who typically vote for Democrats.

More...http://news.yahoo.com/texas-gop-chie...-election.html

[CPUd]

An excellent addition to the team.

[William Tell]

Rand Paul Wins Support in Cruz, Perry Backyard



Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) is stealing political support from his rivals’ backyard.

Texas GOP Chairman Steve Munisteri is set to announce Friday that he is resigning his party post in early March and joining Mr. Paul’s team of advisers for a possible 2016 presidential campaign.

Mr. Munisteri, in throwing in with Mr. Paul, is giving a cold shoulder to Texas Republicans thinking about presidential bids, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

He gives a boost to Mr. Paul in a crowded field of potential GOP candidates in a state that will loom much larger in the GOP nominating process in 2016 than in the past. The state is expected to hold its primary March 1, which could make it one the first big, vote-rich states in the presidential calendar.

The announcement is part of a broader intensification of jockeying for the 2016 campaign as potential candidates are not just amassing staff and cultivating donors, but they are already competing with each other for resources.

Mr. Munisteri said he was backing Mr. Paul because he has known him since he was a young campus activist, and because the senator has made efforts to reach out to new constituencies such as young people and African Americans who have traditionally not been well-represented in the GOP.

“I’ve known the senator for 33 years and what I’m most impressed with about him is his commitment to expand the party’s reach,” said Mr. Munisteri. “Our party cannot be successful, we cannot retake the White House if we do not do a better job of reaching out. Senator Paul has had that message since he’s been in office.”

Mr. Paul has Texas roots of his own. His father, former Texas Rep. Ron Paul, ran multiple presidential campaigns with strong support from libertarian conservatives. He grew up in Texas and went to college at Baylor University where he was a leader of a campus group, Young Conservatives for Texas, which had been founded in 1980 by Mr. Munisteri.

Mr. Munisteri has wide fundraising connections in Texas, where he has been chairman of the Texas GOP since mid-2010 as well as experience on several national presidential campaigns. He did not, however, back any of Ron Paul’s presidential bids. He supported Mr. Perry in 2012.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/0...erry-backyard/

[Crashland]

I can't say I'm not impressed with the groundwork and networking that Rand has been doing. Things like this may not be so exciting in and of themselves but they are really important

[William Tell]

I can't say I'm not impressed with the groundwork and networking that Rand has been doing. Things like this may not be so exciting in and of themselves but they are really important

As someone who lives in Texas, I have to tell you I think this is extremely exciting. Texas is the largest Red State. Steve is very popular across the State GOP, and can probably help raise tons of money. Between this news, and his opening an office in Austin, Rand is clearly planning for Texas to be a key component in his campaign.

I don't consider Munisteri to be a Liberty guy, but he's been a pretty fair chairman.

[georgiaboy]

WOW! What a headline!

I know nothing of this man, but this will send the mainstream into a tizzy!

[Millennial Conservatarian]

Well Rand has more true roots in Texas than the fake Canadian Senator does, so yeah...

[Vanguard101]

Steve isn't one of us FYI

[specsaregood]

Steve isn't one of us FYI

You mean he doesn't have an account on rpf? That is easily remedied.

[William Tell]

Steve isn't one of us FYI

Correct, but I don't have much against him. He will be a big asset. The fact that Rand is able to attract a guy like him is a good sign.

[brushfire]

Cant wait to hear about more folks... Doug Wead in particular - I love that guy.

[Okaloosa]

Steve isn't one of us FYI

A friend of Rand Paul is a friend of mine.

[georgiaboy]

bump. this is just cool.

Makes one wonder just which way the Koch wind is blowing...

[philipped]

A friend of Rand Paul is a friend of mine.

Word. Down to travel to Texas to help with the campaign once it starts. Or maybe Rand could 1up Rubio and Bush and open a Florida office. #icankeepdreaming

[RonPaulGeorge&Ringo]

Maybe he can broker a deal with Cruz.

[Sola_Fide]

Steve isn't one of us FYI

Sure... he's probably one of the establishment spin-masters. But hey, Rand will probably benefit from it. I remember back in 2010, there were all kinds of establishment guys that were being bandied about for the second Ron Paul run.

[Sola_Fide]

Maybe he can broker a deal with Cruz.

Is the deal "Go back to Canada"? I'll support that.

[Krugminator2]

This seems like a big deal.

[philipped]

Maybe he can broker a deal with Cruz.

Yeah the deal should be running to consolidate conservative support for a conservative option to make Bush, Christie and Romney look basura.

Another part of the deal should be to bow out before Iowa and fully support, endorse and campaign for Rand.

[Inkblots]

It's weird. Rand and his people are doing such a good job of staying ahead of events, proposing legislation, driving the national conversation. He's earning all kinds of media coverage, generating buzz, drawing positive attention from opinion makers. He's recruiting top talent, both young innovators and big beasts with strong influence in the party. He's courting wealthy donors, appealing to the grassroots, and trying to reach out to new constituencies.

It's all very exciting, but as I read this, I started to get worried. No campaign or politician is perfect, but Team Rand seems to be doing as good a job as it's possible to do. And that's scary to me, because if we don't win this time, I think I can safely say we'll never win.

I know that's pretty useless negativity at this point, but I felt compelled to share it. I guess I want to make people think of what's at stake this time. Maybe some of the people around here who act like they don't intend to support Rand will read this and change their minds? Maybe.

[Okaloosa]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/29/politi...xas/index.html

(CNN)Rand Paul kicks off his Texas swing this weekend with a top endorsement and a key addition to his political operation, announcing that Texas GOP Chairman Steve Munisteri will become an adviser to Paul's team.

As campaigns start taking shape ahead of the 2016 Republican presidential race, Paul's alliance with Munisteri is notable given the throng of other potential contenders with ties to Texas, a state rich in campaign cash.

Munisteri will resign his role with the state party on Friday to join Team Rand, he said in a statement issued on Thursday. The Wall Street Journal first reported the story on Thursday evening.

As chairman since 2010, Munisteri will bring with him a sizable rolodex and intricate knowledge of the reliably red state.Texas is expected to hold its primary on March 1, 2016, and given the crowded field of potential candidates, it could play an influential role in the contest for the Republican nomination.

Munisteri said he's supporting Paul, whom he' known for 33 years, in part because of the Kentucky Republican's strategy to court nontraditional GOP voters, like African-Americans and young people, according to The Wall Street Journal.

"Paul shares my vision of promoting the conservative values of individual freedom, limited government, a strong national defense and defense of the Constitution in each and every community in our country," the chairman said.

Munisteri gained a reputation for being fair and inclusive, said Dallas County GOP Wade Emmert, who's running to replace the chairman.

"This is a real coup for Rand Paul," Emmert said, noting that Munisteri brings "instant credibility" in Texas.

While Paul was raised in Texas and attended Baylor University -- his father, ex-Rep. Ron Paul, represented a district near of Houston for 23 years -- a number of his potential contenders also have deep roots in the Lone Star State.

Rick Perry, for example, just stepped down as the state's longest serving governor. Munisteri backed Perry's presidential bid in 2012.

Sen. Ted Cruz won a longshot victory in a heated Texas primary battle nearly three years ago and has since become a conservative firebrand in Congress. (Paul's campaign recently nabbed Cruz's digital strategist, Vincent Harris.)

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was also raised in Texas, and his son, George P. Bush, recently won statewide office as Texas Land Commissioner, while his brother, former President George W. Bush, served as governor of the state before Perry.

Even Chris Christie has slipped into the Texas mix, with his now famous adoration for the Dallas Cowboys and cozy friendship with owner Jerry Jones. Christie also recently hired Ray Washburne, a Texas local and former national finance chairman for the Republican National Committee, for his own political action committee.

And renowned retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson recently hired attorney Terry Giles from Houston.

Paul, however, has signaled that he'll be vying for as much attention as he can get in Texas. He's set to open an office in Austin, and he's returning to the Dallas-Ft. Worth area this weekend to speak at a Dallas County GOP event on Friday, followed by a Tarrant County GOP event on Saturday.

He spoke at the Texas GOP convention last June, and earlier in 2014 he challenged Lone State Republicans to push for expanding the party's base.

"Texas will be a Democratic state within 10 years if you don't change," he said.

[Vanguard101]

Correct, but I don't have much against him. He will be a big asset. The fact that Rand is able to attract a guy like him is a good sign.

He probably doesn't want to be on a losing campaign.

[r3volution 3.0]

Megazord, Assemble!

[RabbitMan]

It seems for every huge gaffe Rand commits, he hires someone amazing to his team to make up the difference. Brilliant!

[CPUd]

Sure... he's probably one of the establishment spin-masters. But hey, Rand will probably benefit from it. I remember back in 2010, there were all kinds of establishment guys that were being bandied about for the second Ron Paul run.

I don't know if he fits the mold of establishment like leaders in other state parties do. He let everyone have a fair shake at the 2012 convention, didn't seem to take orders from above when it came to running the party. As a result, Ron Paul supporters were well-represented in the delegation, even though they were bound to Mitt.

[William Tell]

I don't know if he fits the mold of establishment like leaders in other state parties do. He let everyone have a fair shake at the 2012 convention, didn't seem to take orders from above when it came to running the party. As a result, Ron Paul supporters were well-represented in the delegation, even though they were bound to Mitt.

This is my understanding as well. He's pretty popular with the grassroots, Paul and Cruz people etc. At least compared to most big names.

[georgiaboy]

make no mistake about it, folks. this is a tidal shift. we're winning this thing for realz.

[MikeStanart]

Steve isn't one of us FYI

Steve and Rand are old friends. Steve has been the most unbiased, fair, RPT chairman we've had in a long time.

[Mr.NoSmile]

make no mistake about it, folks. this is a tidal shift. we're winning this thing for realz.

Just have deeper pockets, backing, and connections than Bush, Rubio, Walker, and Christie first.