Unless you are a policy wonk or Republican Senate staffer, it would be quite normal if you’ve never actually heard of the Senate Republican Policy Committee. It’s not the most prominent of the leadership posts – which makes it easy for it to fall below public radar, especially as we watch these leadership elections this week. But the RPC is important. And it’s especially important for conservatives because it plays a key role in, well, policy.
The Heritage Foundation, where I spent my early days, works closely with the Hill on policy. I was just chatting with Tim Chapman, who is director of the Center for Media and Public Policy at THF about the RPC and its important role in the Senate, and why conservatives should care who is at the helm there (Tim wrote about the 110th leadership for NRO here, pre-election).
Chapman said: “The Senate Republican Policy Committee is the first place Republicans look to determine how they should vote on pending legislation. It is the job of the RPC to dissect policy proposals before they reach the floor and then recommend up or down votes based on the merits of particular bills. Jon Kyl was a conservative policy wonk who hired likeminded staff in order to churn out solid conservative policy recommendations. It is crucial for conservatives that the next RPC Chairman continue in the Kyl tradition of providing timely, reliable and well thought out conservative policy advice.”
RPC needs a conservative: Jeff Sessions for Republican Policy Committee chairman. Run, Sessions run.