- Political
Parties « Republican
National Committee « Press Release
April 10, 2013
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus
Names Matt
Pinnell State Party Director
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus
Names Matt
Pinnell State Party Director
WASHINGTON –
Today, Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus
announced the appointment of Matt Pinnell as the new RNC State Party
Director. Pinnell will report directly to Chairman Priebus in addition
to Political Director Chris McNulty. Chairman Priebus released the
following statement:
“As
the RNC moves forward with the recommendations of the Growth and
Opportunity Project, I am very pleased to announce outgoing Oklahoma
Chairman Matt Pinnell will serve as the chief liaison between the RNC
and state parties. Matt knows the workings of the state party system
and has the vision to help strengthen state parties as we build for
2014 and 2016,” said Chairman Priebus. “In order to achieve success we
must continue to foster existing relationships, strengthen field
operations, and welcome new members into the party starting at the
state level.
“At
the RNC, we’re revamping our entire political field operation to be
bottom-up and community based. That means the 50 state parties and
territories must take a leading role. As a former local and state party
chair, I understand the importance of close coordination and
collaboration with the national RNC office. The future of all fifty
state parties and territorial parties will be Matt’s top priority. He
will ensure we’re giving state parties the support they need, so they
can in turn support and empower the work of grassroots activists and
volunteers. They are the heart of our party, and our political
structure should be one that allows ideas to flow from the individuals
on the ground up to RNC leaders—not the other way around.”
Biography of Matt Pinnell:
Matt
Pinnell, 33, became Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party on June
26, 2010, and was re-elected in May of 2011 to a full two-year term.
Until recently, he was the youngest State Chairman in the country.
Pinnell
was appointed in 2010 as "Chairman of the State Chairmen" by Chairman
Priebus. In his role as Chairman of the RNC's State Chairmen’s
Committee, Matt directed the sharing of ideas and best practices among
the nation’s state Republican leaders.
In
2010, Pinnell oversaw the most successful election cycle for Oklahoma
Republicans in state history--helping sweep all eight statewide races
and expanding majorities in both the state house and senate. During the
2008 election cycle Pinnell served as the "Oklahoma Victory" Director
for the McCain-Palin ticket, helping sweep all 77 counties for John
McCain. McCain won 65.4 percent of the vote in Oklahoma, the highest
percentage of any state in the nation.
In
2012, the Oklahoma Republican Party continued to see great success
under Pinnell's leadership. Oklahoma--again--won all 77 counties for
our presidential nominee Mitt Romney, and swept all five Congressional
seats. In addition, Republican voter registration is at an all-time
high in the state.
Pinnell
spent three years in Washington, D.C., in the field of grassroots
advocacy and legislative affairs for the American International Auto
Dealers Association (AIADA) and the American Association of Orthopedic
Surgeons (AAOS). He is a former campaign aide to U.S. Congressman Steve
Largent, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, and U.S. Senator Tom
Coburn, M.D. Matt is a graduate of Oral Roberts University and lives in
Tulsa with his wife Lisa and their three children.
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