RGA Announces New Leadership

The Republican Governors Association announced today its leadership for 2011.  The governors were elected by their peers and governors-elect this morning.

“The historic gains we made this year were made possible because the RGA has had tremendous leadership during each one of the past four years,” said outgoing Chairman Haley Barbour.  “There is no governor better prepared to guide the RGA and our new governors-elect forward than Rick Perry.”

“Governor Perry was RGA Chairman in 2008 and understands the important role the RGA’s Four-Year-Plan played in helping create this record breaking year,” Barbour said. “I am confident Governor Perry will instill a vision for the RGA that will allow it to build upon the successes of the past four years.”

Governor Barbour will remain part of RGA’s leadership team as Policy Chairman, a new position created to reflect the growing role that shaping policy will play in the RGA moving forward.

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell will assume the role of Vice Chairman. The rest of the RGA executive committee will be:

• Gala Chairman Governor Bobby Jindal
• Recruitment Chairwoman Governor Nikki Haley
• Governor Susana Martinez, at-large
• Governor Chris Christie, at-large

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“I look forward to leading the RGA and our new class of Republican governors as America looks to the states for solutions to our nation’s most pressing challenges in light of a federal government that has lost touch with our nation’s values and priorities,” said RGA Chairman Rick Perry. “Republican governors understand that the best way to strengthen the economy and create jobs is by upholding principles of limited government, low taxes, restrained spending and individual freedom. Working together, we remain committed to pursuing those priorities which are crucial to moving our nation forward along the path of opportunity and prosperity. We must continue efforts to make Washington less consequential in American’s lives, enabling the states to be laboratories of innovation, competing against one another for the best ideas and not beholden to federal dictates made by Washington.”

“I am honored to follow the most successful Chairman in RGA history and build upon the foundation of success RGA has set,” Perry said. “Republican governors and governors-elect know how important the RGA’s mission is to the future of America, and with 29 of them at the helm of states’ leadership I am optimistic that our nation will change course for the better of all Americans.”