Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Andrew Hitt to Step Down After Helping State GOP Rebuild from Ground Up

[Appleton, WI] – Andrew Hitt announced today that he is stepping down as chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, and plans to focus on his family and private-sector career after helping to rebuild the party from the ground up after statewide losses in 2018. With a track record of empowering the grassroots, launching a successful local election program, and successfully beating back the liberal agenda in court, Hitt released a statement reflecting on the strength of the party for 2022 and beyond.

“It’s bittersweet to step down now with such an exciting election cycle ahead, but I know it is the right thing to do for my family and employer after the sacrifices they made so I could provide steady leadership at a crucial time,” Chairman Hitt said. “We had to lay the foundation for future success at a time when the party had lost a number of statewide leaders in 2018 and faced a challenging and complex 2020 cycle. I am grateful for the opportunity and trust Republican leaders placed in me to rebuild the party from the ground up ahead of races for governor, U.S. Senate, and attorney general in 2022.”

“Andrew has worked hard to help conservatives move Wisconsin forward and build our movement,” former Governor Scott Walker said. “From his days of fighting for bold reform as part of our administration, to his tenure as party chairman growing the party’s presence in Milwaukee, winning local elections against the odds and defending our legislative majorities, he’s been a steady leader who knows how to bring conservatives together and ready the Republican Party for the fights to come.”

“I applaud Andrew for the work he’s done as he prepares to pass the baton,” First Vice Chairman Gerard Randall said. “Andrew Hitt is a fixer, and he brought all the skills he used in government and the private sector to help prepare the Republican Party of Wisconsin for the future and start important new initiatives like his outreach efforts in the African American community.”

Key accomplishments during Chairman Hitt’s tenure include:

• Overhauling the Republican Party of Wisconsin’s organizing strategy to empower the grassroots, including increased training, resources and support — and even opening the party’s first office in the central city of Milwaukee.
• Winning upset races that establish the foundation for future success, including the launch of a local election initiative that was successful in 60 percent of the races it targeted, and victories in traditionally Democrat districts while successfully defending strong legislative majorities in 2020.
• Winning two lawsuits before the Wisconsin Supreme Court and one before the U.S. Supreme Court, all in a 10-day period, as liberals attempted to exploit the COVID-19 crisis to change our system of voting in the middle of the electoral cycle.
• Retooled the party’s finance and communications operations, after losing nationally prominent leaders from Wisconsin prior to his tenure who had fueled massive fundraising and defined the Republican message for nearly a decade.

Hitt’s replacement will likely be elected at the next Executive Committee meeting, which is currently scheduled for Sept. 11. The state party chair is a volunteer position. As Immediate Past Chairman, Hitt will continue his support for and work in the conservative movement — particularly with his outreach in the Black and Hispanic community, and by remaining an active voice of conservative thought in the public arena and media.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.