Special Poll
In a new memo shared with the Media, the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) emphasized that President Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race won’t alter their mission. They advised state-level party leaders to stick to their current strategies despite the changes at the top of the Democratic ticket.
“The Democrats may have swapped their standard bearer, but that shouldn’t change how state Republican leaders run their respective races heading into November,” wrote RSLC president Dee Duncan in the memo.
Earlier this year, the RSLC had instructed state Republicans to avoid turning their legislative races into referendums on Biden. The memo highlighted that this approach has proven to be wise and should remain their strategy moving forward. “The strategic decisions we have made in recent months allow us to build the infrastructure for success this fall, regardless of the changes the Democrats are now scrambling to make,” Duncan added.
The memo acknowledged the challenges ahead, particularly the substantial spending by their opponents, but stressed that state Democrats would still need to defend the Biden-Harris agenda. “Now more than ever, we need to keep our foot on the gas,” the memo urged.
In contrast, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) announced a $2.2 million investment in battleground states at the state-legislature level this week. Anastasia Apa, vice president of development at the DLCC, told The Hill that it’s “too soon” to determine how the Harris swap will impact down-ballot races but warned against complacency.
“Back in 2020, Biden won, but at this level of the ballot, we lost ground,” Apa said. “Democrats cannot afford a repeat of 2020. We cannot afford to ignore the funding and resourcing at this level of the ballot.”