Gov. Dennis Daugaard has asked Craig Lawrence, a former marketing and advertising executive, to be the next chairman of the South Dakota Republican Party.
Lawrence says he has agreed to serve if the Republican Party's Central Committee approves him in February.
In a written statement, Daugaard says he chose Lawrence because the Republican Party needs to let a new generation of voters know about the party's principles and record.
Lawrence is co-founder of Lawrence & Schiller, an advertising and marketing firm based in Sioux Falls. He sold his interest in the firm in November.
Lawrence has worked in Republican campaigns for more than three decades. He also was a newspaper editor and general manager of some broadcast stations.
If elected, Lawrence would replace state Sen. Tim Rave as GOP chairman.
