RSLC’s Future Majority Project Announces Recruitment of 244 Candidates and “14 in ‘14 Races to Watch”

News Release from RSLC

Washington, D.C. (July 11, 2014) – Today the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) announced the Future Majority Project far exceeded 2014 recruitment goals and identified 244 diverse Republican candidates in 40 states.  Additionally, the Future Majority Project outlined its “14 in ‘14 Races to Watch” for November. 

With assistance from the Future Majority Caucus board, co-chaired by New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, the RSLC’s Future Majority Project creates a long-term, sustained commitment of significant contributions of time and resources to support and elect more women and candidates that better reflect America’s full diversity.  Through on-the-ground recruitment events, “Diversity in Business” roundtables, meetings with state-based leadership and other trainings, the RSLC has held on-the ground meetings to reach the 2014 goal of recruiting at least 200 diverse candidates.  Today’s announcement comes on the heels of most state filing deadlines, showing RSLC efforts total at least 244 diverse candidates in at least 40 states.   

Former Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuño, who serves on the RSLC Board of Directors and as an advisor to the Future Majority Project, issued the following statement on today’s announcement:

“The Republican State Leadership Committee’s Future Majority Project has already surpassed our goals, and these 244 candidates will help build a deep and diverse bench of future leaders to bring common sense principles and smart governance to state capitals,” said Governor Fortuño.  “We welcome the continued leadership of Governors Martinez and Sandoval in our efforts to elect these men and women in statehouses across the nation to ensure our party better reflects the country’s make-up.”

“The Republican State Leadership Committee continues to lead the nation in identifying, recruiting and supporting women and a wide range of candidates representing the rich diversity of our nation, and we congratulate the 244 Future Majority Project candidates who said yes to running for office,” said RSLC President Matt Walter.  “Our Future Majority Project ‘Races to Watch’ show the RSLC’s strong commitment to implementing a long-term and sustained plan of engagement aimed at growing a new generation of Republican leaders in our states. Together, we will work to elect these leaders to reduce the size and scope of government and help make the American Dream a reality for everyone.”

The Future Majority Project’s “14 in ‘14 Races to Watch” are:

• Tony Rivero, Arizona House District 21
• Young Kim, California Assembly District 65
• Janet Nguyen, California Senate District 34
• Beth Martinez Humenik, Colorado Senate District 24
• Julie Marie Shepherd, Colorado House District 40
• Daniel Diaz Leyva, Florida House District 112
• Max Fowler, Hawaii State House District 27
• Nick Hawatmeh, Michigan House District 25
• Liane Johnson, Montana Senate District 8
• Sarah Maestas Barnes, New Mexico House District 15
• Conrad James, New Mexico House District 24
• Harry Lewis, Jr., Pennsylvania House District 74
• Monique Trudnowski, Washington House District 28
• Jill Upson, West Virginia House District 65

To learn more visit our website http://futuremajorityproject.com/

  *   *   *   *   *

LINK: Max Fowler

Fast Facts on the Future Majority Project and Future Majority Caucus

• For the 2013-2014 cycle, FMP announced a goal to identify 200 new diverse candidates as well as 300 new women candidates through its “Right Women, Right Now” initiative, with the goal of electing at least 75 diverse candidates and 150 women candidates.  Today’s announcement outlines the 244 diverse candidates identified across the nation.  “Right Women, Right Now” metrics will be announced later this summer.
• In February 2013, FMP announced the Future Majority Caucus – leadership of current elected officials comprised of the first class of last cycle’s FMP candidates – to work to expand the scope of recruitment by the RSLC to include not only candidates of Hispanic descent, but other candidates reflecting the broad scope of ethnic diversity across the nation as well.
• The RSLC will launch an online campaign school for all Future Majority Project and “Right Women, Right Now” candidates this summer.
• In 2011, the RSLC launched the Future Majority Project – a forward-thinking outreach initiative intended to proactively grow the Republican Party. Chaired by Governors Susana Martinez of New Mexico and Brian Sandoval of Nevada, FMP named goals in 2011 of identifying 100 new candidates of Hispanic descent.  Successes last cycle include exceeding initial goals by identifying 126 candidates of Hispanic descent in 26 states and increasing the number of Hispanic Republicans in office.

As part of FMP, RSLC also launched ‘Right Women, Right Now’ (RWRN), a sustained effort to identify and support Republican women candidates at the state level.  The goal for 2012 was to identify 150 new Republican women candidates with the goal of electing 75 to office.  RWRN successes included exceeding goals by identifying 191 new candidates and electing 84 new Republican women to state-level office in 36 states.