RNC closes community centers focused on minority outreach

The Republican National Committee, days after electing new leadership and overhauling its presidential campaign operation, is closing all the community centers it established for minority outreach across the country and laying off their staff, according to two people briefed on the plans. a move that could hinder Republicans’ efforts to court voters of color.

The community centers, located in several states including California, New York, North Carolina and Texas, were part of a yearslong effort to encourage Black, Latino, Asian and Native American voters to join the party. Republicans closed several minority outreach centers in battleground states more than a year ago and did not retain their minority media outreach directors.

The most recent cuts, which will affect about 10 community centers, were first reported by The Daily Beast, and they are part of a wave of layoffs at the RNC that has seen more than sixty party officials fired or forced to resign and reapply for their former jobs. Allies of former President Donald J. Trump have taken over with plans to merge his campaign with the party. Employees were informed via email that their jobs would end on March 31.

Republicans have widely promoted community centers, which were largely established within the racial and ethnic communities they sought to court. The centers often hosted political rallies, dances, and potlucks, and some even helped community members prepare for the U.S. citizenship test. The layoffs will impact many RNC employees of color, as the employees were often members of the communities themselves.

“We are currently evaluating every aspect of political and community engagement to align our activities with President Trump’s campaign,” Michael Whatley, the chairman of the RNC, said in a statement. “We have seen very positive impacts from our community engagement centers and plan to continue using them to build support for President Trump and Republican candidates across the country.”

Republicans have long struggled to gain significant support from voters of color. Mr. Trump, who is banking on improved support from black voters in November, has tried to appeal to them with a heavy reliance on stereotypes and insults. Speaking before a predominantly black audience in South Carolina last month, he suggested that his criminal charges would help him reach black voters, who are disproportionately targeted by the justice system.

Without an organized outreach system, it will be difficult for Republicans to translate an already charged campaign message into actual votes in November. The elimination of community centers compounds the challenges. In a post Wednesday afternoon on Truth Social, Mr. Trump seemed to recognize that need, saying that former Rep. Mark Walker of North Carolina would help lead his campaign’s outreach efforts to “work with faith groups and minority communities. ” (Mr. Walker became embroiled in a scandal in 2019 that led to the indictment of state Republican Chairman Robin Hayes.)

Still, a notable split in the Democratic coalition this year, especially among black and Latino voters, could provide something of an opening for Mr. Trump: A New York Times/Siena College poll in February showed the former president a had a narrow majority. of support from Latino voters, while a larger share of black voters showed openness toward the Republican party

Mr. Biden’s campaign responded to news of the outreach center closures in a statement from Black and Hispanic media outreach directors Maca Casado and Jasmine Harris, calling Mr. Trump’s outreach efforts “hollow.” and called ‘cheap distractions from the poster’. boy for modern racism who works to undermine the progress and success of our communities.”