Crowded Field Vies For Republican Party Chair -- Nov. 22, 1996

Winds of Change Blow Across New Hampshire -- Oct. 28, 1996

Republican National Committee Home Page

Gov. Steve Merrill's Home Page

N.H. Gov. Merrill Enters Race For RNC Chairman

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Dec. 3) -- Retiring New Hampshire Gov. Steve Merrill formally announced he is off and running to succeed Haley Barbour as national chairman of the Republican Party.

Merrill's announcement comes a day after New York GOP chairman William Powers on Monday endorsed him. "The Republican Party represents all Americans, and I believe Steve Merrill has the unique ability to communicate that message," Powers said in a statement. "It is appropriate to choose a governor as the next RNC chair given there are 32 Republican governors in the United States."

"Governor Merrill realizes that the state parties, the state legislatures and our Republican governors are the key to our future, not inside-the-Beltway consultants," Powers said.

The Republican National Committee selects a successor to current chairman Haley Barbour in January.

Three other candidates have formally Declared their candidacy for GOP chairman: Robert Bennett, Ohio's state party chairman; Chuck Yob, Michigan's national committee member; and Colorado's Jim Nicholson, who is one of the party's four national vice chairmen.

Others who are thought to be in the running are former Minnesota Rep. Vin Weber, Michigan state party chairwoman Betsy DeVos, Florida state party chairman Tom Slade and national party counsel David Norcross.