National Republican Senatorial Committee
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The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is the Republican Hill committee for the United States Senate, working to elect Republicans to that body. Its current chair is Senator Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina. In November 2004, Dole narrowly edged out Norm Coleman (28 votes to 27 within the Senate Republican caucus) to head the NRSC following the departure of Senator George Allen of Virginia. The NRSC was founded in 1916 as the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee. It was reorganized in 1948, and renamed the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Current Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist was an NRSC chair, and many feel he used it to make the connections that he used to become majority leader when Trent Lott resigned.
The NRSC helps elect Republican incumbents and challengers primarily through fundraising. Other services include promotion using media and communications, as well as research and strategy planning. The NRSC generally avoids supporting Republicans in primaries against other party members, though the 2006 Rhode Island Senate primary between Lincoln Chafee and mayor of Cranston Steve Laffey is a notable exception.
Senate Republicans will elect new leadership positions after the 2006 midterm elections on November 7th, 2006. For a time it was unclear who would take over as chair of the NRSC. Sen. John Thune, who defeated Sen. Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) in the 2004 cycle, was considered the best pick, but he ruled himself out early in 2006. After receiving the blessing from his family and consulting with other Republicans in the Senate, Sen. John Ensign of Nevada announced on September 26th, 2006 that he would seek the chairmanship. He was formally elected November 15, 2006.
[edit] List of Chairmen
| Name | State | Term of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Ted Stevens | AK | 1975-1977 |
| Robert Packwood | OR | 1977-1979 |
| John Heinz | PA | 1979-1981 |
| Robert Packwood | OR | 1981-1983 |
| Richard Lugar | IN | 1983-1985 |
| John Heinz | PA | 1985-1987 |
| Rudy Boschwitz | MN | 1987-1989 |
| Don Nickles | OK | 1989-1991 |
| Phil Gramm | TX | 1991-1995 |
| Alfonse D'Amato | NY | 1995-1997 |
| Mitch McConnell | KY | 1997-2001 |
| William H. Frist | TN | 2001-2003 |
| George Allen | VA | 2003-2005 |
| Elizabeth Dole | NC | 2005-2007 |
| John Ensign | NV | 2007 - Present |
