Saltsman Formally Announces RNC Bid

Former Tennessee Republican Party Chair Chip Saltsman officially announced his bid to chair the Republican National Committee today.

Tennessee was one of the only bright spots for Republicans in this election year—the GOP made gains in the state Senate and overtook the state House.

Saltsman says he laid the groundwork for those victories when he was state party chair—a post he was elected to in 1998. He says nationally, this election was a referendum on President Bush, not on the Republican brand.

“What we’ve got to do is be true to our message as conservatives and communicate that effectively to the American people whether you live in Vermont, California or Tennessee, and if we do that, we can win. We’ve proven that time and time again.”

The 40-year-old Saltsman most recently managed former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s run for president. Former US Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist stood alongside Saltsman and offered his endorsement. The RNC will meet at the end of January to elect its new leadership.