News: Former Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) will become the chair of the board of the Senate Leadership Fund, the beginning of incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s takeover of the organization.
Steven Law, the long-time executive director of SLF, the top Senate Republican super PAC, and a close ally of outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, resigned last week.
Johnny DeStefano and Paula Dukes, who run Thune’s outside political operation, will work with Gardner to lead a process to find the new CEO and president. Law’s eventual replacement will be the first new leader in the organization’s 11-year history.
Gardner, a former chair of the NRSC, is expected to take an active role in SLF. He will raise money and communicate with the constellation of stakeholders in the super PAC. But Gardner won’t bring aides or consultants to SLF.
Gardner was elected to the Senate in 2014, the same class standing for reelection this cycle. Gardener chaired the NRSC during the 2017-18 cycle when he worked with former President Donald Trump to increase the Senate GOP majority by two seats. Gardener lost in 2020 to Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper, who is up for reelection this cycle.
“Cory understands the complexity of midterm elections and modern campaigns, and he knows firsthand the importance of working hand in glove with President Trump and his team to defeat Democrats”, said DeStefano, a longtime Republican hand who oversaw the political operation in the White House in Trump’s first term.
Both SLF and the Congressional Leadership Fund, the House Republican super PAC, will have new leadership next year. Dan Conston, who ran CLF for six years, resigned from his post last week. Chris Winkelman, who was the NRCC executive director this cycle, is taking over CLF.
