RSLC Announces Right Leaders Network Spotlight Candidates for 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As part of its ongoing effort to grow and strengthen the Republican party by elevating more women and diverse down-ballot candidates in the states, the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) is kicking off its 2024 Right Leaders Network (RLN) Spotlight Candidates Series this weekend by showcasing a slate of leaders who will be on the ballot across the nation in 2024. Leading up to Election Day on November 5th, the RSLC will highlight these candidates through a robust email campaign and a strategic social media push showcasing its deep and diverse bench of Republican nominees as voters prepare to cast their ballots this year.
“Winning in 2024 and beyond for Republicans up-and-down the ballot will require building a bench of strong conservative candidates from the ground level,” said RSLC President Dee Duncan. “In order to combat the failed policies of the Biden-Harris Administration in the states, we need diverse candidates who represent the values of their communities and will bring a commonsense approach to legislative chambers nationwide. The RSLC, through its Right Leaders Network, is committed to continuing to invest in the future of the GOP by supporting incredible Republican nominees like these in the general election.”
The candidates spotlighted in 2024 will be:
Jubilee Underwood (AK House District 27)
Carrie Werner (AZ Legislative District 4)
Joanna Lynn Garcia Rose (CA Assembly District 27)
Kristie Bruce-Lane (CA Assembly District 76)
Alexandra Macedo (CA Assembly District 33)
Suzette Martinez Valladares (CA Senate District 23)
Ryan Gonzalez (CO House District 50)
Rebecca Keltie (CO House District 16)
Ed Montanari (FL House District 60)
Erika Booth (FL House District 35)
Sandy Donatucci (GA House District 105)
Timothy Connelly (HI House District 50)
Christian Hermanson (IA House District 59)
Jennifer Smith (IA House District 72)
Heather Stephenson (IA House District 42)
John Thompson (IA House District 80)
James Wassell (IA House District 20)
Vanessa Grossl (KY House District 88)
Lisa Trombley (MI House District 103)
Kathleen Fowke (MN Senate District 45)
Erica Schwartz (MN House District 18A)
Caleb Steffenhagen (MN House District 48B)
Steve Pape (MN House District 35B)
Mike Jones (MO House District 12)
Ashlee Adams (NC Senate District 18)
Stacie McGinn (NC Senate District 42)
April Arndt (NV Assembly District 21)
Rafael Arroyo (NV Assembly District 41)
Lisa Cole (NV Assembly District 4)
Annette Owens (NV Assembly District 29)
Lori Rogich (NV Senate District 11)
Diana Sande (NV Assembly District 25)
Theresa Bryant (NY Senate District 4)
Dorey Houle (NY Senate District 42)
Tricia Lindsey (NY Senate District 37)
Raymond Love (OR Senate District 25)
Aimee Reiner (OR House District 39)
Amy Bradley (PA House District 72)
Jen Dintini (PA Senate District 45)
Robert Garza (TX House District 74)
John Jun (TX House District 115)
Denise Villalobos (TX House District 34)
Maia Espinoza (WA Senate District 28)
Marcia Kelbon (WA Senate District 24)
BACKGROUND
Launched in the fall of 2021, the Right Leaders Network is the expansion of the RSLC’s long-standing efforts to grow the future of the Republican Party. Through the RSLC’s Right Women Right Now and Future Majority Project initiatives, the committee over the past decade has recruited, trained, supported, and elected thousands of diverse state Republicans across the country, many of whom went on to serve in statewide and federal offices. The Right Leaders Network is both enhancing and growing the committee’s recruiting and training capabilities and allowing for:
Prioritizing electing more women, as well as candidates from communities of color and diverse backgrounds.
Engaging former state leaders, who now hold high federal or state office, to serve as mentors for the next generation of Republican leaders.
Growing partnerships with aligned Republican organizations who share the same mission.
The Right Leaders network had extraordinary success in 2021 in both Virginia and New Jersey.
The RSLC PAC was Winsome Sears' largest donor in her campaign to become Virginia’s first ever female and Black female lieutenant governor. And 57% of the House of Delegates candidates who flipped seats in Virginia were women or minorities.
In New Jersey, 100% of Assembly seats flipped were women or diverse candidates and 75% of total seats (Assembly and Senate combined) were flipped by women.
The RSLC spent $5.3 million on RLN candidates in 2022 and achieved tremendous results.
769 Republican women and minority candidates were elected in state legislative races this year, 51% of Republican women and minority candidates on the ballot.
684 Republican women candidates were elected, 54% of the Republican women on the ballot.
85 Republican minority candidates (not including women) were elected, 36% of the minority candidates (not including women) on the ballot.
37% of our Right Leaders Network non-incumbent candidates were victorious.
