In a new memo shared first with The Hill, the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) says Biden’s exit won’t change their mission, and that state-level party leaders shouldn’t shake up their down-ballot strategy just because of the presidential-race changes.
“The Democrats may have swapped their standard bearer, but that shouldn't change how state Republican leaders run their respective races heading into November,” reads the memo from RSLC president Dee Duncan.
The RSLC instructed state Republicans earlier this year “to avoid turning their state legislative races into referendums” on Biden, the memo noted.
“This turned out to be sound advice and remains our best way forward. The strategic decisions we have made in recent months allows us to build the infrastructure for success this fall regardless of the changes the Democrats are now scrambling to make.”
The group acknowledged the run-up to November “will continue to be an uphill battle thanks to the spending we are up against,” but stressed that state Democrats will still have to defend the Biden-Harris agenda.
“Now more than ever, we need to keep our foot on the gas,” the memo reads.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) this week announced a $2.2 million investment in battleground states at the state-legislature level.
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 cautioned that Democrats should not become complacent.
“Back in 2020 Biden won and 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.”
Read more from The Hill’s Julia Manchester.
