Chicago City Wire

Rhonda Belford, president of the Republican County Chairmen's Association, emphasized that political efforts are rooted in faith and prayer, noting her role on the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) Temporary Faith Engagement Committee. This statement was made on the Prairie State Wire Podcast.

"Our founding fathers were people of faith at the RNC level," said Belford. "Chairman Watley, I was appointed to the Temporary Faith Engagement Committee. I was very proud to open that committee up with prayer at our last summer meeting. If we don't have faith and if we don't have prayer, all the rest of it doesn't matter."

The RNC has expanded its faith engagement efforts through the "Faith Engagement Initiative," aiming to build partnerships with churches and local leaders to boost voter turnout and conservative advocacy. According to Politico, this program coordinates with state and county GOP groups to host prayer events, voter registration drives, and training on religious liberty issues. These efforts reflect the RNC’s strategy to mobilize faith-based voters ahead of 2026.

A survey conducted by Pew Research Center in 2024 found that 45% of U.S. adults say religion influences their political opinions, while 38% report that prayer plays a role in civic decision-making. Among Republican voters, nearly two-thirds said faith is an important guide in political life, underscoring religion’s deep electoral impact.

Research from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) found that individuals attending weekly religious services are 10–15% more likely to vote and participate in community activities than those who do not. The study linked consistent prayer and faith practice to higher civic trust and turnout across counties.

Belford serves as President of the Republican County Chairmen’s Association of Illinois and previously led as Southern Regional Vice President and Hardin County GOP Chair. Elected as RCCA’s first female president in 2022, she has decades of grassroots experience in organizing local campaigns and advancing Republican initiatives.

The Republican County Chairmen’s Association (RCCA) unites Illinois’ 102 county GOP chairs to strengthen local party infrastructure through training, outreach, and coordination with the RNC. Founded to advance conservative governance, it promotes candidate recruitment and grassroots mobilization statewide.