The National Republican Congressional Committee is shuffling its staff ahead of the 2016 campaign cycle.
Executive Director Liesl Hickey will leave that role to become a senior adviser. Rob Simms, who was the political director for the NRCC in 2014, will be promoted to executive director.
{mosads}“Rob was instrumental in helping us win this historic majority and now he’s going to lead our efforts to keep it and help Members build the best campaigns possible,” NRCC Chairman Greg Walden (Ore.), who was just reelected to a second term, said in a statement Wednesday morning.
The NRCC credits Simms with “recruiting candidates that fit their districts” during the 2014 campaign cycle, which produced the largest majority for Republicans in the House in decades.
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Republicans were able to pull out victories in many competitive districts, and the NRCC said Simms “worked hand-in-hand with Members to develop winning campaigns in difficult seats.”
As senior adviser, Hickey’s focus will narrow to districts that might be tough for Republicans to defend in 2016.
“Liesl Hickey did a tremendous job this cycle securing a historic majority and I’m thrilled she will continue to be a part of the team in 2016,” Walden said. “Her new role as Senior Advisor will allow us to focus her time on what she does best — winning in competitive districts.”