WASHINGTON, D.C. GOPAC today announced former Congressman J.C. Watts, Jr. will be stepping down after serving nearly four years as Chairman. Former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele will be named as GOPAC's seventh Chairman.

Under Watts' leadership, GOPAC more than tripled fundraising, raising nearly $9 million during the last election cycle. GOPAC trained thousands of Republican activists across the country and assisted Republican organizations in recruiting candidates for local office. GOPAC also provided direct campaign support to candidates in 17 states.

"We have gone through profound changes over the last four years here at GOPAC," said Chairman Watts. "We are now among the largest "527" organizations in the country. We are on sound financial footing. We have grassroots contacts in every state in the country."

Watts continued, "I'm proud of the progress the GOPAC team has achieved. And I also know Michael Steele will continue to provide GOPAC with the energetic leadership he has shown in every other facet of his life. GOPAC is in good hands with Michael at the helm."

John Morgan, Executive Director of GOPAC, said, "We will certainly miss J.C.'s inspirational leadership. He came to GOPAC at a time when GOPAC needed a true leader to help the organization regain its status at the grassroots level and he met every challenge presented him. The GOPAC Board strongly supports J.C. and is deeply grateful for his service. J.C. Watts was instrumental in selecting Michael Steele as his successor. We expect Michael Steele to provide his own stamp of leadership on GOPAC while maintaining the grassroots foundation we have all worked so hard to establish."

Steele will take the reins of leadership at GOPAC beginning February 1, 2007. Steele was Chairman of the Maryland Republican Party prior to serving as Lieutenant Governor. He was the Republican nominee for United States Senate in 2006 in Maryland.

“I intend to take GOPAC back to the message and mission that made it great. We will concentrate GOPAC’s efforts on recruiting, training, and equipping candidates across the country to establish and maintain a republican majority.” Michael Steele said.

Steele went on to say, “The time is now for GOPAC to step up and play a pivotal role in the upcoming elections across the country. The strategies I implement will make this a reality and I look forward to the challenge.”

GOPAC was founded by Delaware Governor Pete du Pont in 1978 in an effort to build a farm team of Republican officeholders who could then run for congress or higher state offices later. Other past Chairmen of GOPAC were: former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating, California Congressman David Dreier, Arizona Congressman John Shadegg and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.