Republican National Committee chairman to speak on the purposes of government

Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, will discuss the upcoming presidential election as part of Presidency 2012: The Purposes of Government, a series of forums conducted by the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy Studies. The event will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at the Harris School Lecture Hall.

Priebus will offer his outlook on the 2012 election and the choices voters will face. The title of his talk will be “The Issue of 2012: Government’s Purpose.” Seating for the event is limited to UChicago students, faculty and staff who have confirmed RSVPs in advance. Members of the campus community also can view the event live at 10:30 a.m. via cTV.

A former leader of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, Priebus has a long history in Republican politics. He worked his way up through the ranks of the Republican Party of Wisconsin as 1st Congressional District Chairman, State Party Treasurer, First Vice Chair and eventually State Party Chairman. In 2009 Priebus served as General Counsel to the RNC. He became RNC chairman in January.

“We look forward to having Chairman Priebus, a leader of the Republican Party, add his valuable insights to our ongoing exploration of the role of government and the presidency in preparation for the 2012 presidential election,” said Colm O’Muircheartaigh, dean of Chicago Harris. “Presidency 2012 showcases Chicago Harris’ continued commitment to fostering in-depth and diverse policy discussions.”

The Presidency 2012 series brings presidential candidates, campaign strategists and influential policy practitioners to Chicago Harris to present their views on major policy issues and the purposes of government in the United States. The non-partisan series provides an equal opportunity to all presidential candidates who wish to participate.