Some US Republicans' minority-focused centers stay open, but development axed, source says

Reuters

Published Mar 13, 2024 09:15PM ET

Updated Mar 13, 2024 09:51PM ET

By Nathan Layne and Alexandra Ulmer

(Reuters) -The Republican National Committee said on Wednesday its community centers focused on voters of color would remain open, although a source said plans to open dozens more such centers had been scrapped by the Trump campaign.

The community centers are aimed at organizing Black, Hispanic, and Asian American voters as the party seeks to make inroads with demographic groups that often lean Democratic ahead of the November presidential election between former president Donald Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden.

Several media outlets on Wednesday reported the RNC, which is now led by two close Trump allies, had decided to shutter community centers, with the New York Times reporting 10 would close.

"We have seven community centers. They will remain open," said RNC spokesperson Danielle Alvarez. She added that "the RNC isn't going to open any more community centers. Minority community outreach is more than brick and mortar."

A person familiar with the matter told Reuters that Trump's team did not like the community centers, believing the money spent on "brick and mortar" operations could be better used elsewhere. There were discussions until recently of shuttering them all, the source added, and in any case, plans to open a total of 40 have been shelved.

It was not immediately clear how many centers the party once had, but the once much-touted facilities have taken a backseat in the party's strategy. Now-defunct news site The Messenger in January reported the RNC had closed almost all of 20 Hispanic community centers opened in 2022.