For Immediate Release
Contact:
AJ Feeney-Ruiz, 317-455-5327, aj@aj4indy.com
Adam Temple (RSLC), 202-448-5168, atemple@rslc.com
Local Candidate’s Race for State Representative Selected as One of Top Campaigns Nationwide by National Republican Group Promoting Hispanics
Entrepreneur, veteran public servant and candidate for Indiana’s House District 97 (Indianapolis), AJ Feeney-Ruiz, selected by Washington, DC-based Republican State Leadership Committee as one of top candidates of Hispanic descent running nationally for state office.
DALLAS, TEXAS (June 21, 2012) – Today AJ Feeney-Ruiz (Candidate House District 97 – Open Seat – Downtown, Near-West, Near-South Indianapolis), local entrepreneur and former top staffer for two Indiana secretaries of state, was named as one of the top Hispanic candidates nationally by the Washington, DC-based Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC), garnering the support of the committee’s Future Majority Project (FMP). The FMP works to recruit and support qualified Hispanic and female candidates for legislative seats, Attorneys General, and Secretaries of State across the nation.
“AJ is a fresh face and an up-and-coming leader with significant private and public sector experience,” RSLC President Chris Jankowski said. “As an entrepreneur, he understands the challenges facing small business owners seeking to create jobs. As a former executive appointee in Indiana’s statehouse, he has been part of government reforms that have become a national model. Indiana would be lucky to have him in its General Assembly and the RSLC is proud to support him in his race.”
Feeney-Ruiz, whose grandparents were from Puerto Rico, returned late Wednesday from Dallas, Texas after he and other select candidates representing states from California to New York and ethnicities consisting of Mexican, Cuban, Spanish and Puerto Rican, participated in an intense training session followed by meetings with the first U.S. Latina and Latino governors Susana Martinez of New Mexico and Brian Sandoval of Nevada, former U.S. Treasurer Rosario Marin and Speakers of the House Joe Straus (Texas) and Will Weatherford (Florida). Leaders of the Latino Coalition and Hispanic Leadership Network briefed the candidates on national and local issues.
"We're excited to have such a well-qualified candidate like AJ running to represent Marion County voters at the state level," Marion County Republican Party Chairman Kyle Walker said. "AJ offers a very valuable perspective that comes from the combination of his Hispanic heritage and Hoosier roots."
The RSLC is the largest caucus of Republican state leaders and the only national organization whose mission is to elect down ballot, state-level Republican officeholders. Since 2002, the RSLC has worked to elect candidates for Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State and State Legislator.
The RSLC raised more than $30 million for the 2009-2010 cycle as part of an effort that picked up 20 legislative chambers, six Attorneys General, three Lieutenant Governors and seven Secretaries of State. The RSLC spent $4.5 million during the successful 2011 election year that resulted in a net pick up of more than 20 seats and control of two new chambers and has dedicated $3 million to the Future Majority Project to identify and recruit 100 new Republican candidates of Hispanic descent, with the goal of electing 30.
“It is an honor to be identified as one of the top new Hispanic candidates in the U.S.,” Feeney-Ruiz said. “But to be the first to represent my city in the General Assembly and one of the first few to represent Indiana would be an even greater privilege.”
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Check out the story on IndyPolitics.org!
http://www.indypolitics.org/post/25845183990
Posted by: twitter.com/AJ4Indy | 06/25/2012 at 03:30 AM