PAUL A. THEIS PAPERS, (1949) 1960-1975 (1990)

The Paul A. Theis Papers are mainly a collection of materials accumulated during Theis’ 1960-74 tenure with the Republican National Congressional Committee where he served first as director of the radio-television division and subsequently as Director of the Division of Public Relations. Paul Theis served as Executive Editor in the White House Editorial Office from August, 1974 until January, 1976. The work of this office is better represented in the Theis-Orben Files.

The Republican National Congressional Committee was originally founded in 1866. Through the present time, the group’s primary purpose was to help elect Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Theis led his department in studies of political issues and trends and developed techniques for reaching the electorate in an effective manner. Specifically, the Division of Public Relations produced the committee’s publications such as the weekly Newsletter, Speech of the Week, Issue of the Day, the Daily News Digest, and radio and television scripts. In addition, this division operated the Republican Telephone News Service which provided daily voiced statements by party leaders on current issues for broadcast use. The department conducted seminars for Representatives and helped candidates prepare press and campaign literature.

The bulk of the collection consists of campaign management and training literature dated from 1960 to 1974, although there is earlier and later material (much of the material is undated). It is a varied set of pamphlets, brochures, broadsides and workbooks that cover a broad range of topics dealing with the election of local, state and national candidates. Much of the material comes from the Republican National Committee. The American Medical Political Action Committee is also well represented in the papers. Most of the collection is notable as evidence of common techniques for campaign management during the era. Many items, however, are also interesting for conveying the perception of women’s role in the Republican Party of the 1950s and 1960s as well as the emerging role of African-Americans in party politics.

The Newsletter, in its modern iteration, was established while Mr. Theis headed the Public Relations Department. The format was revised and improved and came to be recognized as one of the most effective Party vehicles for communicating the Republican message. This collection includes copies of the Newsletter from 1965 to 1968.

The Theis papers also include miscellaneous correspondence and a complete set of the Weekly Presidential Mail Sample Reports that Mr. Theis received while on staff at the White House.

Related Materials (October 1999)
The Theis papers differ from most Ford Library collections in that they provide little information specific to the Ford Administration. President Ford was closely involved with the RNCC while a congressman, however, and continued to participate in their campaign and fundraising drives while Vice President and during his Presidency. Materials documenting his role are found in the Ford Congressional Papers and the Ford Vice Presidential Papers. The Hartmann Papers include several boxes of material from the RNCC, including issues of the Newsletter not found in the Theis Papers, as well as other RNCC publications and press releases.