By OBBM Network Editorial Staff

Dan Schultz

What would happen if the average Republican voter showed up to their local party meeting? Dan Schultz believes the answer could be a dramatically different slate of primary candidates and, ultimately, a shift in the direction of the GOP.

Why Precinct Committeemen Matter

Schultz opens by noting that more than half of the precinct committeeman positions in the Republican Party are vacant. This vacancy, he argues, allows “rhinos” – establishment Republicans – to dominate primaries with little resistance. The data he cites is stark: 95% of incumbent Republicans and 96% of state legislators have won their primaries, and only four incumbent U.S. House members have lost to challengers. Turnout in these contests averages around 20 percent, meaning a small, organized minority can determine outcomes.

By filling precinct slots, grassroots conservatives can create a voting majority that can elect party officers, set agendas, and drive get‑out‑the‑vote (GOTV) efforts. Schultz emphasizes that precinct committeemen are the only party officials who can directly influence who appears on the ballot, making the role a strategic lever for change.

Step One: Locate Your Local Committee Meeting

Schultz provides a practical, step‑by‑step guide for finding a committee meeting. He recommends starting with a Google search that includes the county name, the words “Republican” and “committee” or “GOP Central Committee.” If that yields no results, he suggests checking the state party’s website, social‑media pages, or contacting the state GOP headquarters for contact information.

He also demonstrates using AI tools like Grok to generate concise instructions. An excerpt from his search shows the recommended phrasing: “What is the easiest way for a Republican voter who wants to become a voting member of their local Republican Party committee to find out when and where the committee holds their monthly meetings?” The AI response outlines the typical naming conventions (county central committee, precinct committee, etc.) and advises checking Facebook pages, calling local elected officials, or reaching out directly to the county chair.

Attending the Meeting: Etiquette and Strategy

Once the meeting location is known, Schultz stresses the importance of showing up prepared. He advises against wearing overtly partisan apparel like “Trump gear” and instead suggests modest party‑affiliated clothing, such as a local Republican Party t‑shirt. During the meeting, volunteers should introduce themselves, express a willingness to serve, and ask if any positions are open.

Schultz shares his own experience in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, where he volunteered for the vice‑chair position after no one else stepped forward. “Nobody else wanted it, so I volunteered,” he says. This anecdote illustrates how low‑effort participation can quickly lead to leadership roles, especially in smaller committees where vacancies are common.

Building a Grassroots GOTV Engine

With a seat at the table, precinct committeemen can launch targeted GOTV campaigns. Schultz references his 2016 Arizona effort, where a simple phone‑call campaign to the 80 percent of primary voters who usually abstain helped a conservative challenger defeat an incumbent “rhino” in a landslide. The key, he notes, is to use the committee’s voter‑roll data to identify infrequent primary voters and reach out personally.

The strategy leverages the precinct’s existing communication platform, which Schultz hosts on his website precinctstrategy.com. He highlights a free, non‑Big‑Tech collaboration tool that allows members to coordinate calls, track outreach, and share resources without external surveillance.

Broader Implications for Republican Politics

Schultz argues that revitalizing precinct committees could alter the balance of power within the GOP. By electing more conservative officers at the grassroots level, the party can reduce the influence of establishment figures who currently dominate state legislatures and congressional delegations. This bottom‑up approach may also address the low primary turnout that has historically insulated incumbents.

While the RNC does not maintain a centralized directory of local committees, Schultz contends that this lack of transparency is intentional, as it prevents a unified grassroots challenge. By empowering individual voters to locate and attend meetings, the Precinct Strategy aims to democratize the party’s internal processes.

In sum, the path to reshaping Republican primaries begins with a simple act: attend your local committee meeting, volunteer for a vacant role, and mobilize the silent majority of primary voters. If enough conservatives adopt this approach, the cumulative effect could be a more responsive and representative party.

The full episode of Precinct Strategy with Dan Schultz is available on OBBM Network TV.