▁civil ▁engineering ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁ ▁Career ▁He ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁an ▁engineer ▁but ▁later ▁started ▁his ▁own ▁business . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁chairman ▁on ▁May ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁He ▁had ▁previously ▁occupied ▁various ▁positions ▁in ▁the ▁party ▁including ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁New berry ▁County ▁Republican ▁Party ▁and ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁Republican ▁National ▁Convention . ▁In ▁the ▁run - up ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁Republican ▁primary ▁season , ▁Con nel ly ▁argued ▁against ▁an ▁early ▁primary ▁in ▁Florida . ▁Ult imately , ▁South ▁Carolina ▁held ▁its ▁primary ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 1 , ▁ten ▁days ▁before ▁the ▁primary ▁in ▁Florida . ▁On ▁May ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Con nel ly ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁to ▁a ▁second ▁two - year ▁term . ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁re - e lection , ▁Re ince ▁Pr ie bus ▁t apped ▁him ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁first - ever ▁National ▁Director ▁of ▁Fa ith ▁Eng agement ▁for ▁the ▁R NC . ▁From ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁through ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁elections , ▁he ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁ 4 2 ▁states ▁and ▁spoke ▁to ▁over ▁ 8 2 , 0 0 0 ▁past ors , ▁pri ests , ▁and ▁faith ▁leaders ▁about ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁their ▁invol vement ▁in ▁the ▁public ▁ar ena . ▁He ▁res igned ▁the ▁R NC ▁position ▁in ▁Fall ▁ 2 0 1