Sessions takes helm at NRCC

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Dallas) is moving to take control of the National Republican Congressional Committee just hours after being elected to chair the House GOP campaign arm.

Sessions is scheduled to meet with outgoing National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) on Thursday, a Sessions aide said today. Cole had been running to secure a second term at the NRCC but withdrew his name from the race at the House GOP Conference meeting on Wednesday, clearing the way for Sessions.

Multiple GOP sources said that Sessions is likely to move quickly to name his congressional Chief of Staff Guy Harrison to the position of executive director at the NRCC, though Harrison declined to confirm the arrangement Wednesday afternoon. Harrison would replace Pete Kirkham, who served as Executive Director under Cole.

Sessions aides were also tight-lipped about other imminent personnel moves at the committee, though one NRCC official separate from the Sessions operation said today that Ken Spain, who was the committee’s press secretary during the 2008 cycle, would likely serve as interim communications director through the end of the year. Karen Hanretty, who was communications director during the previous cycle, is entering the private sector.

Sessions defeated Cole in a rematch of their bitterly fought 2006 battle. Cole oversaw the NRCC at a difficult time for the committee. Upon the Oklahoma congressman’s entrance, the committee faced a mountain of debt and controversy over its internal accounting practices. Cole declared his intention to run for re-election immediately after a Nov. 4 election, which saw House Republicans losing at least 20 GOP House seats. Cole argued that the NRCC had defeated the odds in a difficult political environment, but he was the underdog from the beginning: Within a matter of days, House GOP Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) had thrown his endorsement to Sessions. Boehner had wrangled with Cole repeatedly during his tenure over the direction of the committee.

At today’s meeting, where House Republicans selected their leaders for the 111th Congress, Cole unexpectedly threw his support to Sessions with what one GOP aide described as a gentlemanly speech.

NRCC officials said that Cole spent the day thanking committee staff for their work over the course of the cycle and encouraged them to assist with the transition process. Cole also spoke with Sessions following the meeting, offering the Texas congressman office space in the committee’s First Street headquarters for use during the transition period.

In a public statement, Cole congratulated Sessions, saying, “It has been my great privilege to serve as Chairman of the NRCC, and I wish my friend Pete every success. While the past two years brought many challenges to this Committee, I was honored every step of the way to be able to serve my colleagues and my Party.” 

Sessions only spoke in broad terms about his plans for the NRCC today. In a huddle with reporters on the first floor of the Longworth Building, Sessions said he planned to ramp up the committee’s fundraising performance and aimed to recruit candidates “who can readily identify with the districts but who have the will and fire to be a part of this team.”

In a statement released moments after his victory, Sessions said, “Today marks a new beginning for the NRCC. I will build an aggressive, energized, and modernized NRCC by immediately working to strengthen fundraising, implement strategic candidate recruitment, update messaging and technology, and create organizational strength and long-term strategies to secure a Republican Majority.”