Reince Priebus mulling RNC re-election bid

The Republican National Committee chairman is telling friends he's considering another term.

By Alex Isenstadt
08/15/16 03:03 PM EDT

-snip-

The longest-serving chairman of the Republican National Committee in history is weighing a return engagement as head of the GOP, POLITICO has learned.

It’s a move that would come as a surprise to many. The 44-year-old Priebus, who was first elected in 2011, had led many to believe he would be finished with the high-profile job following a rambunctious campaign season — one that at times has resulted in fierce criticism of Priebus and the committee he leads. Already, several would-be successors, including former Silicon Valley executive Carly Fiorina, have begun de facto campaigns for the chairmanship.

But in recent weeks, Priebus has begun telling friends and allies that he’s seriously considering running for reelection. During last month’s Republican National Convention, he approached Henry Barbour, a loyal ally who is the nephew of former RNC Chairman Haley Barbour, and told him he was thinking about a return.

“He wants to keep his options open for running for reelection,” Henry Barbour said in an interview.

Other party leaders who’ve spoken with Priebus — some of whom have reached out to him to gauge his intentions — say they’ve come away with the impression that he’s increasingly likely to seek reelection.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/reince-priebus-rnc-reelection-bid-227022#ixzz4HV8aSAfT