Main Street Announces former U.S. Representative Tom Davis (R-VA) Will Lead Organization

Former U.S. Rep. Amo Houghton – “There is no stronger voice to represent centrists – and no one more capable of ensuring that Main Street’s mission is carried out – than Tom Davis.”

Contact: Chris Barron
(202) 286-4533

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, the Republican Main Street Partnership announced the election of former U.S. Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) to lead the organization as President of the Board of Directors and chief executive. Congressman Davis will succeed former U.S. Rep. Charles F. Bass (R-NH) as the head of the nation’s largest organization of elected centrists.

“At this critical juncture for our organization, our party, and our country, there is no stronger voice to represent centrists – and no one more capable of ensuring that Main Street’s mission is carried out – than Tom Davis,” said former U.S. Rep. Amo Houghton (R-NY), Chairman of the RMSP Board of Directors. “Tom Davis has been one of the most visible and effective centrist leaders during his time in the House. Tom has been a tireless advocate for the type of pragmatic, results-oriented style of governing that reflects the values of this organization and the majority of American voters.”

“Tom Davis brings a wealth of experience, creative thinking, and tremendous energy to the job,” said Main Street member U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). “I am very pleased he has accepted this position.”

“We also want to thank Charlie Bass, who will continue to play an important role with this organization, for his service over the last two years,” continued Houghton. “Under Charlie’s leadership, Main Street continued to prosper and grow in influence despite the difficult times that faced our party.”

“The 2006 and 2008 election results make it clear that the Republican Party must – once again – reach out to independent and centrist voters if we are to restore our Congressional majorities and return a Republican to the White House,” said Davis. “We must get back to the basics and emphasize our commitment to fiscal responsibility, free trade, limited government and good government. If we are going to become the majority party again, we must restore voters’ faith in our ability to govern.”

“I am honored to be given the opportunity to lead this critical organization at this important juncture in our history,” continued Davis. “Now is the time for us to recognize that Republicans of all ideological stripes must work together to rebuild the Reagan coalition.”

Congressman Davis compiled a significant record of accomplishment during his tenure in the House. Davis served as Chairman of the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, as well as Chair of the subcommittee on Technology and Procurement Policy. Congressman Davis’ vigilant oversight of large dollar federal contracts resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars saved for the taxpayers. Davis also authored significant portions of the 9-11 Implementations Act and under his leadership the Committee conducted oversight on and investigated matters related to the effective administration of government programs of great public interest. These programs included government contracting in support of the war in Iraq, the Agriculture Department’s handling of the discovery of Mad Cow Disease in the United States, the flu vaccine shortage, the role of the National Guard in national security and homeland defense, and management of the Department of Homeland Security.

Davis’ success on the legislative front has been matched by his success at growing the GOP. In September 1997, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman John Linder named Davis to be his chief recruiter. When the rules were changed in 1998, making the NRCC chairmanship an elected rather than appointed post, Davis won the chairmanship by a convincing margin. After defying the pundits by maintaining the GOP’s majority in the House in November 2000, Davis was easily re-elected to again lead the NRCC through 2002.

Davis’ tenure as NRCC Chairman reached an end after the fall 2002 elections, in which House Republicans made history: only three times since the Civil War has the President’s party added House seats during the midterm elections.

Prior to his election to Congress, Tom was the chief elected official in Fairfax County, the eleventh most populous municipality with the second largest county budget in the United States. In 1993, during Tom’s tenure as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Fairfax County was recognized as the nation’s best financially managed county.

Tom was born in Minot, North Dakota and moved with his family to Virginia at an early age. Tom graduated, with honors, from Amherst College, and subsequently earned his law degree from the University of Virginia. Tom also attended Officer Candidate School, served on active duty in the U.S. Army, and spent eight years with the Virginia National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve.

In addition to serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Republican Main Street Partnership, Congressman Davis has also accepted a position as director with Deloitte’s Federal Government Services. Davis will advise Deloitte’s clients on major trends, opportunities and challenges facing the federal government, with a focus on technology innovation and government transformation.

The Republican Main Street Partnership (RMSP) is dedicated to promoting and building the Republican Party as a thoughtful, fiscally conservative, inclusive “Governing Majority,” where political debate is encouraged to promote common sense solutions to improve the lives of all Americans. Embracing the full spectrum of Republican ideologies and values in order to build coalitions, RMSP is the largest organization of elected Traditional Ronald Reagan Republicans in the nation. For more information on RMSP, visit our website at www.republicanmainstreet.org.