GOP assembles $2 million, army of activists for post-election legal challenges, runoffs

EXCLUSIVE:

Bracing for an extended campaign season with high-stakes, the Republican Party has set aside at least $2 million to contest election results and assembled an army of activists ready to travel to states with election run-offs.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus unveiled his post-election guerrilla warfare plan in a series of calls on Election Day with Republican donors, party chairmen and strategists.

“I believe the number may be north of $2 million, and more important, we are literally sending the party’s entire house of operatives out into the field as required if either Louisiana or Georgia go to overtime, no matter how the results go tonight,” Arizona Republican National Committee member Bruce Ash told The Washington Times. “These guys get no vacation from whatever their assignments have been during the general election.”

Mr. Priebus, in his second two-year term as head of the GOP’s national governing body, has assembled some 300 volunteer lawyers and party activists who stand ready to fly to states where there may be runoff contests in December or January in states where the Nov. 4 results aren’t conclusive.

“The 300 are mostly lawyers from the Republican Lawyers Association – from all over the country, who have stepped up to help,” Louisiana GOP Chairman Roger Villere said.

“They have committed to go anywhere they are needed,” Mr. Villere said.

Mr. Priebus unveiled his post-election guerrilla warfare plan in a series of calls on Election Day with top Republican donors and strategists.

“We have a significant number here in Louisiana, about 35 volunteer lawyers, who have volunteered to help here in case of a runoff,” he said.

One area of top focus was to mount an immediate ground game in Louisiana, where a vital Senate race was likely to go to a runoff in the GOP’s drive to unseat Democrat Mary Landrieu.

The GOP’s contingency plans are ambitious, going beyond even what Mr. Priebus has set aside.

“I was on the phone with state party chairman and they are going to send groups to do phone banking and get out the vote,” Mr. Villere said. “They are raising their own funds.”

In Louisana alone, Mr. Villere has set up what he calls nine “satellite” offices

“That in addition to our main office in Baton Rouge,” the state capital, he said. “… I know Alabama and other states have committed significant numbers to help us defeat Landreiu in a runoff.”