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Reince Priebus
| Reince Priebus | |||
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| Basic facts | |||
| Organization: | Michael Best & Friedrich | ||
| Role: | President and chief strategist for government affairs | ||
| Location: | Miilwaukee, Wis. | ||
| Education: | •University of Wisconsin-Whitewater •University of Miami School of Law | ||
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Reinhold "Reince" Richard Priebus is a Republican political operative. As of January 2020, he was president and chief strategist for the government affairs group at Michael Best & Friedrich, his former law firm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well as a political analyst for CBS News.[1][2] From January to July 2017, he was the chief of staff for Donald Trump. He was chosen to serve in that position on November 13, 2016.[3][4] Previously, Priebus was chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), having been elected to three terms beginning in 2011. Prior to his leadership in the RNC, Priebus served as the chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.
Early career
Early career and law career
Reince Priebus served as the student body president of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He graduated in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in English and political science. Following graduation, Priebus worked as a committee clerk for the Wisconsin State Assembly Education Committee. He later attended the University of Miami School of Law and graduated cum laude in 1998. While in law school, Priebus served as president of the Student Bar Association.[5][6]
Priebus joined the law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served as co-chair of the firm's government and public policy group and became a partner in the firm's litigation and corporate practice group. In November 2011, when he became chair of the Republican National Committee, Priebus went on leave from the law firm.[5][6]
Wisconsin State Senate campaign, 2004
In 2004, Priebus unsuccessfully challenged Democratic State Sen. Robert Wirch for a seat to represent Wisconsin State Senate District 22. He went on to work as campaign manager during Michael Steele's successful 2009 campaign for chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC). That same year, Priebus became general counsel of the RNC. He resigned as RNC general counsel in December 2010 in order to launch his own campaign for RNC chair.[5]
Republican Party
Republican Party activity
Priebus began working as a volunteer on Republican political campaigns at the age of 16. He later became chair of the 1st Congressional District for the Republican Party of Wisconsin (Wisconsin GOP), beginning his career in the party's leadership ranks. He served as state party treasurer and first vice chair before winning election to the state party chairmanship in 2007. At age 35, Priebus was the youngest chair in the Wisconsin GOP's history. During his tenure as party chair, the Wisconsin GOP regained control of both chambers of the Wisconsin State Legislature, the governor's office, two additional congressional seats, and a U.S. Senate seat.[5][7]
Republican National Committee
- See also: Republican National Committee
Priebus was elected chair of the RNC on January 14, 2011. During his first term as chair, Priebus prioritized paying down the RNC's debt. The Associated Press reported that "Priebus took the job with $23 million in debt and cut a third of the staff he inherited from his predecessor." In July 2011, Roll Call reported that the RNC's debt had been reduced by $7.5 million since January of that year, attributing the change to Preibus' efforts "to restore the RNC’s image — particularly in the eyes of major donors."[8] Priebus also expanded grassroots outreach and overhauled the party's campaign data operations in his first term.
He was re-elected to a second term on January 25, 2013. Under Priebus' leadership, Republicans gained majority status in the U.S. Senate and maintained a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives during the 2014 midterm elections. He was re-elected to a third term on January 16, 2015, making him the longest-serving RNC chair during a Democratic presidency.[7][9][10][11]
2016 presidential election
Following Donald Trump's victory in the Indiana primary on May 3, 2016, Priebus called for the Republican Party to unite behind Trump as the party's tentative 2016 presidential nominee. The night of the primary, Priebus tweeted, "@realDonaldTrump will be presumptive @GOP nominee, we all need to unite and focus on defeating @HillaryClinton #NeverClinton."[12] In an interview with CNN, Priebus acknowledged that though Trump's rise was unanticipated, the party was "going to get behind the presumptive nominee." He later told Politico, "I honestly think [Trump] understands that building and unifying and growing the party is the only way we’re going to win."[13][14]
Donald Trump presidential administration
- See also: Donald Trump White House staff
On November 13, 2016, he was chosen as chief of staff for Donald Trump's presidential administration.[3] According to The Atlantic, Priebus "leads the faction of Trump aides that is composed of experienced establishment political hands."[15]
Early role
According to a May 2017 article in The New York Times, Priebus' early role in the Trump administration was to streamline the agenda for each day and to reduce the number of people who spoke with Trump on issues. The paper reported:[16]
| “ | Mr. Priebus is increasingly focused on big-picture issues like improving the 'interagency' process linking the West Wing to the federal bureaucracy. He has also tried to reduce what he calls inputs — the number of people talking to the president each day — to 20 or so from about 50, and to keep Mr. Trump to a tighter schedule through short, agenda-driven meetings. ... That entails trying to cut the number of Oval Office meeting attendees from 15 to eight or fewer, according to an aide.[17] | ” |
Request that FBI comment on Russia investigations, February 2017
In February 2017, Priebus requested that the FBI refute media reports about communications between Trump campaign members and members of the Russian government. According to CNN, Priebus twice asked then-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe to publicly speak with reporters to dispute a piece in The New York Times that alleged contact between the campaign and Russian officials. Priebus himself refuted the story, saying, "I can assure you and I have been approved to say this -- that the top levels of the intelligence community have assured me that that story is not only inaccurate, but it's grossly overstated and it was wrong. And there's nothing to it."[18]
Healthcare legislation, 2017
In March and April of 2017, Priebus was the main line of communication between the House of Representatives and the White House as they worked on writing legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act. An aide to House Republicans told CNN, "Priebus had really made the push to get the vote. To get this done. Just in terms of the political side -- the political win."[19] According to The New York Times, Trump blamed Priebus for an initial cancellation of a House vote on healthcare. The paper reported, "He told aides that he believed the damaging loss had resulted in no small part from Mr. Priebus’s too-rosy vote-count predictions and his too-cozy relationship with Speaker Paul D. Ryan, a fellow Wisconsinite."[16]
Replacement as chief of staff
On July 28, 2017, Trump announced on Twitter that John Kelly would replace Priebus as chief of staff.[4]
Post-White House career
Return to law practice
On October 24, 2017, Priebus announced that he would return to Michael Best & Friedrich, his former law firm in Milwaukee, as president and chief strategist for the firm's government affairs group. Priebus said he did not intend to register as a lobbyist or represent foreign governments in his role. According to Politico, Priebus had also signed with the Washington Speakers Bureau to give paid speeches on Washington and the Trump administration ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.[1]
2018 primary involvement
Priebus backed Wisconsin state Sen. Leah Vukmir over Marine Corps veteran Kevin Nicholson in the Republican race to challenge U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.).
Priebus chaired the Wisconsin Republican Party from 2007 to 2011 when Vukmir was in the state legislature, and Priebus and Gov. Scott Walker led a Republican resurgence in the state. Priebus said Vukmir "was there every step of the way building what we built in Wisconsin. She deserves credit but she's highly qualified and without question the best choice for U.S. Senate."
Political news commentary
On January 22, 2020, CBS News announced that the network hired Priebus as a political analyst.[2]
Recognition
The Milwaukee Business Journal named Priebus to the publication's "40 under 40" list in 2008. The following year, Priebus was recognized as a "Rising Star" by Super Lawyers magazine. TIME magazine later named Priebus to the 2016 "100 Most Influential People" list due to his role as chair of the Republican National Committee.[6][20][21]
Media
See also
- Republican Party
- Republican National Committee
- Republican Party of Wisconsin
- United States Congress elections, 2014
- Presidential election, 2016
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Politico, "Priebus says he will rejoin his Wisconsin law firm," October 24, 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Hill, "Reince Priebus joins CBS News as political analyst," January 22, 2020
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The New York Times, "Donald Trump Picks Reince Priebus as Chief of Staff," November 13, 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Politico, "Priebus out as chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly to replace him," July 28, 2017
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 U.S. News and World Report, "10 things you didn't know about Reince Priebus," January 24, 2011
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Michael Best & Friedrich, "Reince Priebus," accessed May 2, 2016
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Republican National Committee, "Reince Priebus," accessed May 2, 2016
- ↑ Roll Call, "RNC to Post $19M in Second Quarter," July 17, 2011
- ↑ The Atlantic, "The Republican Wave Sweeps the Midterm Elections," November 5, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Times, "Reince Priebus set to win historic 3rd consecutive term as RNC chair under Democratic president," January 13, 2015
- ↑ Time, "Time 100 Leaders: Reince Priebus," April 21, 2016
- ↑ Twitter, "Reince Priebus Tweet," May 3, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Reince Priebus: Trump's win ‘probably good for our party,'" May 4, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Priebus on Trump: 'He's trying,'" May 6, 2016
- ↑ The Atlantic, "The Nationalist Right Is Coming for Reince Priebus," February 14, 2017
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 The New York times, "Second Chance for ‘Obamacare’ Repeal. And for Reince Priebus," May 5, 2017
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ CNN, "FBI refused White House request to knock down recent Trump-Russia stories," February 24, 2017
- ↑ CNN, "Sources: Priebus made 'big push' on health care vote but came up short," April 28, 2017
- ↑ TIME, "TIME 100 Leaders: Reince Priebus," April 21, 2016
- ↑ Super Lawyers, "Reince Priebus goes from WI rising star to GOP party chair," January 18, 2011
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