Cino To Announce RNC Chair Bid

FF has learned that Maria Cino, the CEO for the 2008 Republican National Convention, will formally announce her candidacy for RNC Chair Saturday.

FrumForum has learned that Maria Cino, the CEO for the 2008 Republican National Convention, will formally announce her candidacy for RNC Chair tomorrow.

FF first reported last Thursday that Cino would be holding a fundraiser at the residence of Mary Matalin, hosted by former Vice President Dick Cheney and political strategist Ed Gillespie.

As someone who has never been a member of the RNC, Cino faces an uphill battle – any successful campaign to become the RNC Chairman relies heavily on personal relationships among the 168 RNC members who have a vote.

And, as critics like conservative blogger Dan Riehl have been quick to point out, Cino will need to defend herself against charges that she is insufficiently conservative, and explain her tenure as a lobbyist.

Dana Loesch, a radio show host and the Editor-in-Chief of Andrew Brietbart’s Big Journalism, has tweeted several times about a Cino bid. “If Maria Cino assumes the RNC chair I will refuse to work with the RNC in ANY capacity, donate, or encourage donations to the RNC,” she wrote earlier this week.

But to deflect criticisms, Cino can claim to have the ‘fundraising chops’ necessary to get the RNC back in working order. In fact, as reported elsewhere, one of the reasons she had a fundraiser this week was to illustrate her ability to bring Republican donors together.

Indeed, with her long history in government and politics, there is evidence behind the claim that she has the right nuts-and-bolts credentials to right the ship after two tumultuous years.

Her extensive resume includes time as the Deputy Chairwoman of the RNC; Executive Director of the NRCC; Deputy Secretary of Transportation; and Director General of the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service at the Department of Commerce.

Ultimately, Cino’s success will depend on whether she can develop a rapport with RNC members. The other three announced RNC members have a bit of a head start: former RNC co-chair Ann Wagner and Michigan National Committeeman Saul Anuzis have been traveling the country to meet with RNC members; and today Gentry Collins tweeted that he is meeting with RNC members in Tennessee.

Stay tuned at FrumForum for more coverage of Maria Cino’s announcement tomorrow.

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